Coming of Age
by DemonSaya
Summary: COMPLETE Inuyasha is reaching his 'coming of age', and now that Kagome's accepted, how will Kouga react. Especially since Kouga's in the middle of his as well...Rated for language and sexual innuendo
1. Chapter 1

_AN: Gah...Here I go again. Some Inuyasha fluff for all. I'm such a review whore. Anyways, this idea came to me at a point in time, after reading a few less than waffy lemons and I got the opening in my head and wasn't able to get it out. Anyways, here ya go..._

_Coming of Age_

By: Demonsaya

oooooooooooooooooooooo

**1**

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Left...right...left...right...left...

Inuyasha walked behind Kagome, his eyes drawn to the curious sway of her shapely hips. Not that he'd admit he was watching her hips go if anyone caught him. He wasn't like Miroku. He felt the corner of his mouth twitch when the sound of a resounding slap echoed behind him. Speaking of the devil...

Miroku rubbed his face, wincing. "Ah, Sango, such lovliness I have never seen coupled with such anger." He said smiling.

"Shut up, Houshi-sama..." Sango growled. She glared at him, making sure to catch up with Kagome, who had paused.

Inuyasha mentally groaned when the girl in front of him stopped. "Keh..." He looked away from her before he got caught staring at her hips. 'I'm not Miroku, I'm not Miroku, I'm not that fucking pervert! I'm not a pervert!' He silently chanted the mantra to himself, praying that no one noticed the blush that had covered his face.

It wasn't his fault she didn't cover herself properly.

Miroku sighed, catching up with Inuyasha. "Ah, the laments of love..." Miroku stared contently at Sango's rear, his eyes following the sway of her hips as she walked alongside Kagome.

"Keh, if you weren't such a pervert, she'd still be walking with you." Inuyasha went back to watching Kagome's hips.

Left...right...left...

Shippou watched them watch the girls and rolled his eyes. "Idiots..." He muttered under his breath.

Miroku glanced towards Inuyasha and saw the demon's eyes trained on the young woman walking a short distance in front of him. "And you call me a pervert?" He teased. "What would that make you, undressing young Kagome-sama with your eyes..."

Inuyasha blushed, looking away from the girl. "Don't be rediculous. I have no desire to see that wench naked." 'Naked...naked...naked...' He shook his head. Damn monk. He'd been hanging around with him entirely too long! He glared at the cursed monk, who had cheerfully resumed his previous 'task'. He saw Kagome glancing back at him with an arched eyebrow and his face darkened. "What the hell are you looking at, bitch!"

She rolled her eyes. She was used to this. Inuyasha was a jerk. He had always been a jerk, and probably would always BE a jerk. She glanced towards Miroku and saw the monk was behaving...sort of...his eyes were trained on Sango's behind and she elbowed the taijiya and gestured for her to look back at the monk.

Sango glanced back and her expression turned dark. "YOU PERVERT!" She screeched, lifting her Hiraikotsu and smashing it into the pervert's head.

Kagome laughed softly, knowing no matter how angry the other girl got, she knew that she loved Miroku, and vice versa.

"Ah, then perhaps Kagome-sama would enjoy my gentle caress?" Miroku teased the demon hunter lightly. He realized too late that he'd said the WRONG thing.

Two fists hit either side of his face. One belonged to a furious demon hunter, the other belonged to an equally angry half-demon. Both simply walked away from his twitching body. Kagome glanced towards him and frowned, shrugging. May as well set up camp here.

Inuyasha went into the forest to 'gather wood', but Miroku had a distinct suspicion the hanyou was going to be doing something that involved an entirely different kind of wood altogether. He didn't voice his opinion, however, deciding his life was already in enough peril from earlier when he'd suggesting laying a hand on the young miko that traveled with them.

Kagome and Sango had agreed to go find a source of water, and the monk mourned further, wishing Inuyasha were here so HE could watch the camp, leaving Miroku free to follow their two lovely companions and spy on them.

It only took them a few minutes to locate a hot spring and they looked longingly into the water. "Should we?"

"Are you kidding? With that pervert monk around?" Sango complained.

Kagome glanced back. "I think we're safe for a few minutes, and I really need to unwind. I'm pretty sure that Miroku's responsible enough to watch the camp for half an hour while Inuyasha gets wood for the fire."

Sango grudgingly admitted she was probably right and stripped quickly, sinking into the water along with the priestess. "What makes you so sure that Inuyasha is trustworthy?"

Kagome got a sour look on her face. "He said today 'I have no desire to see that wench naked.'" She scowled a bit in irritation. "At least Miroku shows you SOME kind of interst, even if he does go about it the wrong way."

The older girl looked at Kagome with a bit of pity. "True. Inuyasha is such a jerk."

'Oh...shit...' Inuyasha stared at what was in front of him and as quietly as he could, backed away. He'd smelled the hot spring and headed in that direction to ease some of his tension, but this just made it worse! Kagome sat part way in the clear water, her breasts bobbing slightly from the buoyancy. He screwed his eyes shut and began backing away, praying that he didn't step on a twig or anything. 'Dammit! Shit! This is the last thing I needed! I've been around that stupid lech entirely too long! I'm not supposed to think dirty about Kagome! She's just a kid!'

As he silently walked backwards, his eyes tightly shut, he heard a twig snap beneath his foot and cursed, dropping to the ground. As he watched, both girls straightened, giving his eyes more to feast on. 'SHIT! STAY IN THE FUCKING WATER!'

"Sango? Did you hear that too?"

Sango nodded, her eyes narrowing. "I think we should get dressed, and QUICK! I don't know who it is, but I don't think they've seen us yet."

Kagome nodded and they left the water, Kagome squeezing the excess water from her hair.

Inuyasha mentally moaned. He could see...well...everything. He knew he should shut his eyes, but it was impossible. He mentally mourned as the girl began to pull her clothing back on. 'No...wait just another second...' When her flesh disappeared from view, the spell was broken, and he jumped up into the trees, going as quickly as he could back to their camp. He reached it in a matter of moments. "Shit." He grumbled, dropping down and grabbing the bundle of wood.

He walked towards the monk, dropping the wood in front of him. He didn't look at him, chosing instead to move to the edge of the trees and sulk against one. Dammit! He should have smelled Kagome! He should have avoided that place like the plauge! He ran a hand through his hair roughly, hearing the girls approaching. "They're coming back." He announced, wishing he could just run away, disappear for a few hours, get a grasp on his presently raging libido. 'Fucking shit! Why the hell couldn't I look away!' He fisted the hand in his hair, pulling at it. The pain pushed his libido down a bit.

Miroku watched the whole scene with quite a bit of interest. Inuyasha seemed to be quite frustrated and he smiled slyly. "Why, Inuyasha, whatever seems to be the problem?" He asked sweetly, grinning at the glare he recieved. He caught sight of the girls returning and saw the look on Inuyasha's face as he spotted Kagome and grinned broadly. This was going to be funny.

Kagome stretched as she entered the clearing. "It's a pity that got interrupted...that was SO relaxing..."

Inuyasha refused to look at her.

Sango sighed. "Maybe next time we should ask Inuyasha to be a guard. After all, it's not like he's interested in seeing us naked..."

'Naked...naked...I saw Kagome naked...naked...naked...' Inuyasha mentally slapped himself, looking anywhere but where they were. "Keh." He snorted, pretending there wasn't a raging hard on in his hakama.

Miroku grinned. Now he understood. Inuyasha had gotten an eye-full of lovely lady flesh. He looked towards Sango with interest. "Oh, there's a hot-spring near here?" He asked innocently, glancing towards the hanyou. "Where?"

Kagome glared at him. "I don't feel comfortable with giving you that information." She snapped, then moved towards her pack, pulling out her hairbrush. She began pulling it through her hair, not noticing Inuyasha's eyes on her.

'One...two...three...four...' He counted with each stroke of the brush through her silky looking hair. His hands fisted from the urge to reach out and touch it. His gaze slowly moved down her arm, towards the breasts that shifted slightly with each stroke. 'Up. Down. Up...' He cursed, looking towards the woods, refusing to look at ANYONE around the camp, especially not Kagome, lest she find out how hot and bothered he was.

Kagome watched as Shippou played around with Kirara. She finally finished brushing her hair, then sighed, looking towards the half-demon. She pulled a small cast-iron pot from her bag (an: HEAVY!), pouring some water into it and then she easily carried it over to the fire, placing it just inside careful not to burn herself. She failed and cursed sharply. "DAMN!" She cried, clutching her hand. "DAAAMN..." She whispered under her breath, looking down at her fingers. They were red and slightly puffy.

Sango and Miroku looked at her in shock

Inuyasha heard her exclamation and twitched, glancing towards her in concern. "Oi, are you okay?"

She smiled. "Yeah, I'm okay..." She grumbled, returning to her bag and she dropped to her knees, digging through it. "I just burned myself a bit."

Inuyasha stared at her. She was on her knees, bent over her bag. He gulped, forcing his gaze away. 'Damn!' He mentally swore. Slowly, they moved back to her. The wind caught her skirt, blowing the back up a bit and he turned bright red as her underwear were exposed. "CRAP! Woman, go put some fucking clothes on!" He finally exclaimed.

Kagome yelped, looking at the hanyou in shock. He wasn't looking at her, and he was bright red. "What on earth?"

"Fuck it!" He jumped to his feet, storming away from the camp towards the hot spring. He was drawn tighter than a wire, and he needed to get rid of some of this tension.

Kagome watched him storm off, blinking in confusion. Had she done something? She looked at Sango, then to Miroku, who was struggling to control his laughter. "What did I do?"

Miroku calmed himself. "I don't know, Kagome, maybe you should go find out." 'Poor Inuyasha, but he had this coming.'

"Stupid bitch! What the hell was she doing, bending over like that in front of me! Fucking idiot!" He continued to rant, stripping and slipping into the warm water. "Goddammit!" He grumbled.

"Inuyasha!"

"Fucking hell!" He wanted to scream. "Stay the FUCK away from me, Kagome!" He shouted, seeing her approaching the hot spring.

She paused, confused. "What is WRONG?" She asked. She stood there, staring at his anger-flushed face, slowly, her gaze sweeping down to his muscular shoulders, then do his rippling chest...She shook her head, looking back at his face. "Please, Inuyasha, I don't like it when you're angry with me..."

He took a deep steadying breath. "Dammit, bitch..." He snarled, turning his back towards her. "Don't ever fucking bend over in that damn skirt again!" He snapped, not wanting her to see the furious blush on his face.

She blinked. "Why would that bother you?" She asked blinking. Slowly, her mind went through the facts. Inuyasha was a dog demon. She had bent over in front of him. Her face turned scarlet. "INUYASHA YOU PERVERT!" She shrieked.

"I DIDN'T DO A DAMN THING, BITCH!" He snapped back at her. "You're the fucking moron who fucking bent over her damn bag! I'm a fucking dog demon, you idiot!" 'Do you realize what that did to me!'

Kagome blushed furiously, backing away from him. "I'm sorry." She said softly. "I wont do it again. After all, however brief, thinking like that about me was probably traumatic for you. After all you have no desire for me." She turned away from him and ran back towards the camp.

"Dammiiiiiit." Inuyasha groaned, sinking into the water, putting his head in his hands. "I didn't say that, you dummy..." He complained, but of course, she wasn't there to hear him. "Shit."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

The next day, Inuyasha refused to let Kagome walk in front of him. In fact, he stayed as far away from the girl as humanly possible. He didn't look to her and only grunted in responses to everyone's questions. The brief images he'd caught the previous day would be more than enough to satisfy his imagination for a LONG time to come. Sango and Kagome walked behind him, and undoubtedly Miroku was behind them. He didn't care if Miroku touched Sango, but he better keep his fucking hands off Kagome!

Miroku watched Inuyasha with interest. He had guessed right. Kagome had managed to get Inuyasha hot and bothered the day before. He walked up between the girls and smoothly put his arms around their shoulders. "My ladies, I must say you two look absolutely lovely today!"

Sango glared at him darkly. "What the hell are you plotting, monk?" She asked, her voice scathing.

He blinked innocently. "My dear Sango-sama! Whatever makes you think I'm plotting?" He asked, grinning wickedly.

"Because you're not groping us." Kagome pointed out. "Come on, out with it already."

Inuyasha glared back at the monk. "Oi, bozu, keep your damn hands to yourself!"

Miroku grinned wider. He leaned over and whispered to Sango. "Sango-sama...I'm planning on torturing Inuyasha for awhile. Would you care to help?"

"Don't include me in your sick plans!" Sango snapped.

"Plans? What plans?" Kagome looked at her two friends, confused. She walked along, acting like the arm around her shoulder didn't phase her a bit. The fact of the matter was, Miroku had told her his plans the night before, when a blushing, yet teary-eyed Kagome came back to the camp.

"Come on, Sango-sama...Kagome-sama is in on it too. We're just going to make Inuyasha as uncomfortable as possible. If she's lucky, then it'll help her, too. Don't you want your best friend to be with the boy she loves?" He teased his eyes twinkling.

Sango sighed and then finally nodded. "Fine, whatever. I'll help, too."

"Help what!" Inuyasha turned around and faced them. He saw Kagome and forced his eyes towards the monk with his monk carelessly draped over both girl's shoulders.

"It doesn't concern you, Inuyasha." Kagome said, her eyes narrowing. He could at least LOOK at her...but from what Miroku said, that wasn't the problem. She felt his eyes snap towards her and she stared directly into his eyes. "Let's get a move on." She shrugged off Miroku's arm and walked forward, walking past the demon just close enough to brush him.

Inuyasha froze. Her scent assailed his senses, and he turned, watching her as she walked past him. His eyes went immediately to her shapely hips till a hand smacked him across the back of his head. "OW! What the hell was that for?"

Sango glared at him while she walked past him. "It's not nice to stare."

"I wasn't fucking staring!" Inuyasha objected, his face red.

Sango caught up with the girl, noting Kagome had thrown just a little extra swing into her hips and grinned, adding just a bit to her own as well. Heck, she might as well get a little revenge on that monk for going along with his plan. She looked over at Kagome, who was grinning from ear to ear. She smirked, leaning towards Kagome. "Ne, Kagome, I hope we stop by another hotspring tonight!"

Kagome caught her eye and nodded in agreement. "Yeah...it's sooo relaxing." She sighed heavily. "Too bad that there's no one to stand guard to make sure perverts don't come spy on us."

Inuyasha turned purple at their mention of the hotspring and tried to ignore the enticing sway of Kagome's hips. "Who the heck are you calling a pervert?" He snapped, forcing his gaze away from her lovely round backside.

Kagome glanced back and smiled sweetly. "Oh, don't take it so hard. It's not MY fault Miroku appears to be rubbing off on you." She quipped, then with a flounce, turned back around.

"Keh...stupid bitch..." He growled. Using that term wasn't helping him any. That coupled with seeing her naked...naked...naked...He shook his head hard to stop his thoughts. Not to mention when she...for lack of a better word, presented herself to him. He mentally shuddered and his stomach started doing flip flops.

Miroku watched Inuyasha squirm and idly wondered how he felt, being treated for the first time like the pervert that he'd always tried to convince himself he wasn't. "Oh, don't blame me, ladies, it's his nature!"

"Shut UP, bozu!" Inuyasha snapped, then he jumped straight up, sitting stubbornly in a tree.

Kagome's eyes narrowed with worry. This was a kind of mean game they were playing with Inuyasha. Teasing him and such. What was it her mother had said? 'It's not nice to tease boys, and it can give them the wrong idea...' She lowered her eyes, feeling a bit guilty. "Inuyasha, come on down, we have to find more jewel shards, right?"

"To hell with you!" He snapped, not even glancing at her. "Go fucking find 'em yourself!"

Kagome could take some of Inuyasha's temper, but the fact that he was denying the mere notion that she was attractive was starting to piss her off. "SIT!" She shouted, her eyes pained. She watched the demon's eyes go wide and he tried to hold onto the tree, but her command finished it's business by jerking him down and slamming his half-demon ass into the ground.

He looked up about to yell at her, but he could see the tears dancing in her eyes. His words caught in his throat.

"Do you always have to be such a jerk!" She practically screamed. "SIT!" With that, she turned and ran back down the street.

"SHIIIT!" Inuyasha growled, trying to push himself into a sitting possition. "That fucking word is really going to piss me off!" He managed to get to his feet and began to chase after Kagome, following her scent.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome wiped her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself. It was starting to get dark, and now she was lost. She sniffled, dropping to the ground behind a rock, wondering idly if anyone had come to find her. She doubted it. Here she was, teasing Inuyasha, doing something that was just plain mean, and then sitting him when he got upset with her about it.

"I really am a bitch." She said softly, putting her face in her hands. It really wasn't Inuyasha's fault that he reacted the way he did. He was just a boy, and a dog boy at that. And besides he probably didn't really fully understand what was happening to him.

"Oi."

Kagome jerked around, her eyes wide. She saw the dog demon looking at her, his face moody. "Inuyasha..."

He walked up, plopping down next to her. He glanced towards her and then looked down at his knees. "Kagome...I-"

"I'm sorry." She said quickly.

He looked at her in surprise. "Kagome..."

"It was my fault...Miroku...he suggested that maybe...by teasing you...I...I'm sorry..." She didn't look at him, blushing faintly. "I guess I kinda hoped that something would come of it."

He looked down, blushing. "So it was all on purpose? The hip swinging and bending over last night?"

"N-no...not that...I really didn't even think that...I mean..." She blushed darkly, looking towards him. "I didn't realize at the time it would affect you...I mean...you did say..."

He blushed darker. "I only said that because Miroku and Sango were there..."

She gasped, looking at him in surprise. "R-really?"

He looked away and nodded. "I...I accidentally stumbled on you and Sango at the hotspring." He admitted, biting his lip.

"Th-that was you?" She peered around and saw the blush and awkward expression on his face. A smile turned up the corners of her mouth. "Inuyasha...you really ARE a pervert!" She said, smiling wider.

"I AM NOT!" He spun around, and upon seeing her smiling at him, he deflated like a balloon. "It was just...an accident."

"How much did you see?"

"I've seen you naked before." He scowled. Too true, and each time, every curve was burned into his memory. This latest time, he had noticed the changes in her body. Her muscles had become more sculpted, her body toned and beautiful.

"How much?" She teased, poking him in the ribs.

He didn't respond.

"Chicken." She said, harumphing.

"Dammit, woman! Everything, okay!" He snapped, his face bright red. "Shit!" He turned away from her, feeling like an awkward boy with his first crush. "I couldn't fucking look away, okay! Is that what you want to hear!"

She saw the embarassed look on his face and blushed, feeling a tad guilty. "I'm sorry." She said softly. "I didn't mean...I just...I'm sorry..." She looked at the ground, drawing circles in the dirt. "I suppose we should get back to the camp." She looked towards him and saw that he was wearing a strange expression. "What?"

"How do you know how to..." His eyes narrowed.

"Flirt?" She tilted her head to the side.

He nodded. Does she 'flirt' like this with boys in her time! She better not, or I'll kill them!

Kagome blushed, looking at the ground. "Inuyasha, things like that aren't really a big deal in my time." She started to stand, and suddenly, rather roughly, Inuyasha pulled her back down. "We need to go back!" She said, feeling suddenly nervous. She really shouldn't have teased him and knowing he might be...well...bothered, and they were alone together...and-

"Are you scared of me?" He asked, leaning towards her. He saw the blush on her face and reached up, smudging some dirt intentionally on her face. "You've got some dirt on your face..." He teased, smirking down at her.

Kagome's eyes widened and she saw him pick up a fist-full of dirt. "Inuyasha...now don't start playing around...KYAA!" She gasped in shock when he tossed it at her. In retalliation, she grabbed her filled her own fist and grabbed him by the rosary, dumping it down his yukatta.

He smiled, glad she decided to play along. The dirt itched, but he didn't mind. With a deep growl, he tackled her to the ground and started smudging her face with the stuff. He felt her arching against him and the playful feeling was quickly replaced by something very different.

Kagome grabbed at the dirt, and she smooshed it into his hair. When her laughing eyes met his, suddenly, they stopped laughing and just stared at each other. She flushed, realizing he had her pretty much pinned to the ground. "I-Inuyasha..."

He turned red and quickly scrambled off of her, forcing himself to look anywhere but at her. He turned around and was about to apologize when Kagome reached forward and mushed a handful of dirt into his face. "Oh...you are so dead..."

She laughed, jumping to her feet and running away. It was no surprise that Inuyasha caught up to her in only a moment. She felt his arms go around her waist and she was spun to the ground, laughing. She looked up at him, her giggles slowly dying. She glanced at his lips and then glanced at his eyes. 'I want to kiss him...' She forced herself to turn her face away so that she couldn't see his pouty little mouth.

Inuyasha stared down at her, trying to understand what she was thinking. He quickly gave it up as it was a fruitless effort. "Kagome..." He wanted to see her eyes. "Look at me..."

She very hesitantely turned and met his eyes. 'I...want him to kiss me...'

Inuyasha's eyes darted to her lips and he began to lean towards her. They were a hair's breath from touching when her hands went to his chest and he was shoved away. He blinked, falling back onto his behind. He sat upright, uncertain of what he did wrong this time. 'Didn't she want me to kiss her?' He felt hurt, but quickly squashed those feelings with anger. "You bitch, what the hell was that for!"

Kagome forced herself to look away from him. Without a word, she stood up and turned away from him. "We...we should probably get back to camp...the others are probably worried." She said softly, reaching up and trying to dust the dirt off her face.

"Y-yeah..." He agreed, still hurt. "Fine, whatever." He stormed past her and left the clearing. Why the hell didn't she let him kiss her! Was she angry about him peeping on her during her bath the other day! He scowled darkly. 'Fine, if she doesn't want me to kiss her, I wont fucking kiss her...stupid bitch...' He glanced back, seeing Kagome following, her eyes looking at the ground. "Sorry about back there. Momentary lapse of judgement. It wont happen again." He said coldly, trying to put more space between himself and the miko.

'Why did I do that?' Kagome flinched at his statement. 'I really did want him to kiss me. Why on earth did I push him away! Stupid Kagome, STUPID! Something really wonderful was about to happen and you chickened out! Coward!' She looked forlornly at Inuyasha's back. He was walking with 'that' stride again. Was he upset with her? "I...Inuyasha...?" She asked, jogging to catch up with him.

He didn't look at her. "What." He said more than asked. If that bitch intended to make a fool of him, he wasn't going to let her. He put more space between them, refusing to look at her. 'Damn bitch. Didn't her mother tell her it's not nice to tease...'

"I...I'm sorry..." She offered softly, glancing towards him. He seemed to accept it a bit, but his brow didn't relax from it's scowl.

"Keh..." He grumbled, glancing away. "How pointless..." 'You should be sorry, bitch! I fucking let my guard down for a moment and try to kiss her and she pushes me away! See if I ever let her in again! Bitch...' He mentally thwacked himself. Why did he constantly call her a bitch. It only reminded him of what he wanted to do with her.

"It is NOT pointless! I'm TRYING to APOLOGIZE!" Kagome snapped, glaring at the dog demon.

He glared at her. "Stupid girl..." He ridiculed her, resorting to his usual defense.

Hurt hit her like a ton of bricks. She froze, staring at him as he continued to walk. A tear fell down her face. "Inuyasha...you jerk..." She whispered, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry I'm not perfect like your precious undead girlfriend, KIKYOU!" She screamed, running past him, up the road.

Inuyasha watched her go, his anger melting at her words. "Stupid girl..." He whispered, shaking his head. 'Stupid me for liking her...'

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome furiously scrubbed the dirt off her skin. She muttered dark words while Sango bathed nearby. "Stupid...I should have known...probably mistook me for HER...stupid...stupid jerk..."

Sango looked towards Kagome, but she knew better than to ask. With a sigh, she let her mind drift back to Miroku's stupid game. "Kagome...I don't think we should play Miroku's game. I was always told not to tease boys. That it's mean. I mean...I know that if Inuyasha snaps you'll get what you'd want...but..."

The younger girl shook her head furiously. "I'm not playing it anymore." She said evenly. "I don't care. But I do think we should give them a taste of their own medicine." Kagome clenched her hands into fists. "We treat them how they've been treating us. Maybe then they'll learn how annoying it is..." She looked at Sango, who was grinning.

"You mean like...groping every boy that comes with in arms reach and treating Inuyasha like he treats...well...everyone who gropes you?"

'She caught on quick. She's probably been thinking the same thing.' The girl sat down, looking at her friend. "I'm tired of being treated like garbage. I'm only human and I have feelings to. This is the last time I let that boy make me cry..."

"MIROKU! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THERE!"

Inuyasha's voice caught their attention. They saw the dog demon storm up and Kagome snorted, turning her back away. "Osuwari." She said evenly, watching the demon get slammed into the ground.

Inuyasha had just grabbed Miroku's robes when he felt the weight of her command. "SHIT!" He shouted, slamming into the ground. "Dammit, bitch, what the hell was that for!"

Her response was icy. "I didn't feel like giving you another free peep show, perv. Now take Miroku and get out of here, sicko."

Inuyasha raised his ears in shock. 'SAMUI!' He glared at her harshly. "Like I want to see someone as ugly as you naked anyways!" He snapped, dragging the monk away. 'Fucking liar...' He said to himself. 'You want to go back and join her and touch her and do terribly not innocent things to her body.'

Kagome looked at Sango and almost died laughing. "Hey, Kagome, we could always just invite them to join us." She said just loud enough for both boys to hear.

Kagome snorted. "Who'd want to see them naked anyways?" She quipped, sinking into the water. She heard Inuyasha walking away and felt a victorious twinge in her heart. "So?" She asked when his mumbled insults had faded away finally.

"You should have seen their faces! They both turned so red!" Sango finally let her withheld laughter explode from her. "And when you said that, Inuyasha...He turned even redder. Oh my god!"

She nodded. "Good. I'm just not sure how long I can keep being mean to him...I mean...I'm not mean..." Kagome looked at Sango who was grinning. "Sango-chan?"

"Well, he's not just mean, right?"

"He's the one who smooshed dirt on me." She said evenly. "I only attacked in retaliation, he started it..." She looked into the water, blushing faintly. Her mind went back to that moment, when their lips had been about to touch and she chickened out. "I really am a coward, you know...something amazing almost happened...and I pushed him away...I feel guilty."

Sango gently rested a hand on her head. "Then let's let the game drop here. We can always pick it up to get revenge again later. Let's just use it when they've done something wrong."

Kagome nodded in agreement and they left the water, and began to dress in her clean clothes. "I know it's mean to tease...but something tells me that'll be better revenge than being mean anyways. Part of me..." She blushed. "Part of me enjoyed doing that and knowing that it was affecting him." She looked down. "Does that make me a bad person?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.

The other girl shrugged. "I can't say, Kagome. You love him, so I suspect that someday the teasing will become something more...solid?"

Kagome snorted. "Oh, I'd say something became more solid the other evening." She muttered bitterly. Why HAD she pushed him away, anyways? Things weren't supposed to be this complicated. It was supposed to be easy, like it was in those shojo manga. Where the guys are nice, and the girls fall over themselves and gush around them. Real life wasn't that easy.

Sango looked at her and arched an eyebrow at her bluntness. "Kagome-chan...?"

"I'm sorry, Sango...I really think that I need to be alone for a bit." She said, looking into the water.

Sango nodded, and left the water, beginning to dress. She wasn't sure what was wrong with the girl, but she was sure Kagome needed some time alone to sort it out. "I'll head back to camp." She said, glancing towards the girl. She watched her friend nod idly and began to jog back to the faint fire she could see glowing through the trees.

'Kagome seemed...well...depressed...' Sango frowned. What was going on with her and Inuyasha? Since she'd returned that afternoon, the pair avoided each other like the plauge. She arrived at the camp and saw Inuyasha facing away. "Kagome said she wanted some time alone." She responded to the groups silent question and went to sit by the fire. She glared at Inuyasha. "What did you do to her anyways!"

Inuyasha stiffened. 'Why is it always my fault!' He spun on her. "Look, I didn't do a damn thing, okay! This is Kagome's fault!" And with that, he walked into the trees. The dirt was really starting to irritate him now. He didn't care if Kagome was still at the hot spring of not. He wanted a bath. Idly, he reached up and scratched behind his ear.

He felt some dirt cover his hand and growled. This was all her fault. He began to move forward more quickly. He was going to give that woman a piece of his mind. Playing with him like that! 'Bitch! I'm going to share some harsh words with-'

Soft sobs reached his ears. He looked up abruptly and saw Kagome sitting in the spring, her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking from her sobs. He froze and all his anger immediately fled him. "Kagome." He said loud enough for her to hear him.

She sniffled, turning her back on him. "Please go away!" She cried, sinking deeper into the water. She heard him curse softly and glanced back. She sniffled awkwardly and forced herself to sound cheerful. "Look, I'll head back in a bit...I just really need to be alone for a bit..."

Inuyasha scowled. "You're not the only one who needs a bath." He snapped, shrugging out of his clothing. He shook the dirt from his haori and his hakama and then got in the water. He glanced towards her and saw her back was still towards him. Irritation filled him and he walked towards her, picking her up and dunking her under the water.

She came up sputtered and yelling. "INUYASHA!" She cried angrily. "Don't do that!" She wiped the water from her face and spun on him. Her mouth was open to yell at him, then she realized that she was naked and quickly gave her back to him, dropping chin-deep in the water.

"Well, at least you're not crying anymore." He said idly. "Can I borrow your soap stuff?" He asked, his voice remarkably even.

Kagome nodded. She was bright red, and her heart throbbed when she heard his words. "Were you worried about me?"

"Not really." He said glancing towards her, grabbing her liquid soap and squeezing some onto his hands. He lathered up good and dunked himself under the water. When he came up, Kagome was out of the water and had a towel around herself. He let his eyes trail briefly over her hidden curves before noticing that she was looking at him. "What?"

She turned away from him. "Inuyasha...I..." She bit her lip. "I'm sorry I pushed you earlier...I didn't mean...Um..."

His face twitched. "Gimme a sec, Kagome, we can talk when I'm done, but this dirt in my ass isn't going to wash itself out." His weak effort was rewarded with a soft laugh. He dug around in her toiletries for a longer moment. "Kagome where's that stuff you use to wash your hair..." He complained. "I can't believe you shoved dirt into my hair..." He glared at her.

She blushed, looking down. She found the bottle and passed it to him. "The one that looks like it is a hair moisturizer, if you're interested." She said evenly.

Inuyasha arched an eyebrow. 'Moisturizer? Is that what makes her hair so soft?' He idly wondered, pouring some of the sweet smelling stuff in his hand and foaming his hair up. He felt two soft hands join his in his hair and froze. "Kagome...?" He asked, glancing back at her.

She blushed, biting her lip. "Can I?" She asked gently. She saw the hesitancy on his face and was about to pull her hands back when his covered hers. Her eyes widened when his hands returned to the water. Slowly, she began to move her hands, gently scrubbing the silver tresses. Her hands moved to his ears and she gently scrubbed them as well. She couldn't help but notice how relaxed he had become. She didn't want to stop washing his hair, so she continued massaging his scalp.

He purred. He had tried to keep it in, but when her fingers latched onto his ears the second time, it escaped him. He leaned back, staring up at her, his breathing shallow. "Kagome..." He said softly.

She blushed, meeting his gaze. "I...Inuyasha..." She felt his hand touch the back of her head and tug her down gently. She resisted a bit and saw his eyes cloud over with hurt.

"Not this time, Kagome." He said firmly, turning quickly, grabbing her wrists. He leaned forward before she could object and pressed his lips to hers. His breath sighed out of him at the pressure. "Warm..." He whispered, burying his hands into her damp tresses. It was like a dam had broken, and suddenly everything he was was rushing forward, meeting her kiss after kiss. He felt her hands resting lightly on his shoulders and moaned softly. He opened his eyes and saw tears dancing in hers.

She gave a strangled sob and wrenched herself away from him. She landed on her hands and knees and dropped her head to her hands. "You jerk..." She whispered. She snatched up her clothes and began to struggle into them. She had just managed to get her panties and bra on under the towel when two arms wrapped tightly around her waist. "Let me go!"

Inuyasha started to, but his eyes caught sight of her breasts heaving and he was suddenly hypnotized. "No..." He replied idly, watching them jiggle a bit as she struggled. "You know, the more you struggle, the less likely I am to let you go."

She blushed, realizing his eyes were trained on her breasts and she drove her elbow roughly into his stomach. While he was gasping for air, she quickly struggled into her skirt and shirt. "You PERVERT!" She hissed.

He glared up at her. "Kagome..." He rasped, grabbing her ankle. "You can't run away from me forever."

She ripped her ankle away, feeling the skin tear a bit when it came in contact with his sharp claws, but she didn't cry out. She didn't even speak to him. She just turned on the ball of her foot and ran back to camp.

Inuyasha angrily struck the dirt. "SHIT!" He growled. 'Why the hell does she keep running away from me!' He quickly pulled on his clothing and entertained the idea of going after her for about thirty seconds. He flopped over onto his back, staring up at the sky. "Baka-onna..." He whispered, his eyes narrowing in irritation. 'Can't she see that I want her!' With a sigh, he sat up and blinked in surprise. 'Kagome...? No...Kikyou...' His eyes narrowed again. "Kikyou..." He said evenly.

She began walking towards him, her soul stealers all around her. "Inuyasha...does she really fill the place I once did?"

The hanyou got to his feet and turned away from him. "Shut up, Kikyou."

"I deserve to know if you're coming to hell with me or if you're chosing to live on with my copy here in the mortal realm..." She saw Inuyasha flinch at the word copy, and suddenly, he was directly in front of her, his voice dangerously low.

"Kagome...is nobody's 'copy'." He snapped, his eyes narrowing. He looked down at his old love and his eyes narrowed further. "And no, she doesn't fill the place you did. She has her own places." He turned away and found himself staring at Kagome. His eyes widened. "K-Kagome?"

Tears were in her eyes and slowly fell down her cheeks. She felt his eyes sweep over her in concern and they rested on her bleeding ankle. A strangled sob escaped her. "Can't get what ya want from me...so you go to her..." She laughed softly, taking the Ramen cup she'd been bringing him and threw it at him. "I HATE YOU, INUYASHA!" She screamed, turning on her heal and taking off into the forest again, having no direction, not caring where she went.

It bounced harmlessly off his chest and he watched her run from him. His eyes narrowed further, and the was about to turn on Kikyou when her arms went around him. "Let me go." He said.

"You heard her...she hates you...come with me to hell..."

"LET ME THE FUCK GO!" He turned, shoving her away from him, then ran after Kagome.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome didn't stop running. She was trying to wipe the image of them together out of her mind. Tears continued to pour down her face. She'd been coming back to make a truce. To say she was sorry. And to walk up and find him with...with that undead WITCH! It was too much.

She tripped on an upraised root, and fell to the ground, feeling her ankle throb in pain as she hit the ground. She bit her lip, trying to hold in sobs. Gingerly, she pressed her fingers against the tender ankle and let out a soft whimper.

"That's what happens when you run away like that..."

Her eyes jerked up and she saw Inuyasha looking down at her, his face annoyed. Without a word, he dropped to his knees by her angle and gently pressed against it. At her cry of pain, he frowned deeply. "This is a good mess you got yourself into, bitch..." He mumbled, glancing towards the other ankle, where blood was turning her sock red. He pulled off the shoe followed by the sock and looked down at the bleeding ankle. Five neat scratches, from where his claws had torn her soft, delicate skin.

Kagome forced herself to look away. "I didn't mean to intrude on your tryst..." She said, her voice sounding dead.

"Kagome, I didn't go to Kikyou." He said evenly. "You did what you always do and jumped to fucking conclusions." He kept his attention focussed on her tiny ankle, not looking at her face. "I just wanted you to know that..." He stood, then offered his hand to help her up.

Kagome ignored it, trying to get up on her own. Unfortunately, the slightest weight on her ankle caused it to give and she quickly collapsed.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and knelt with his back to her. "Get on." He said, shaking his head. "Stubborn girl..." He muttered. When her arms hesitantly wrapped around his neck, he exhaled slowly, putting his arms under her backside. Easily, he climbed to his feet. "Kagome...it seems like every time...something nice might happen..." He glanced back at her. Her face was hidden in his hair. "You run away from it."

She looked away from him. "Do not."

"You shoved me away when I tried to kiss you earlier...and then you ran off after I did kiss you."

"You were just taking advantage of me!" She objected. "Besides, you don't love me! You love-"

"Don't think you know me so well that you can tell me how I feel about who." He glared back at her.

She finally looked at him. "Then why don't YOU tell me."

He froze, not having expected her to respond like that. He glanced back at her and found her finally looking at him. "Kagome...I'm getting to the age...where a demon takes a mate." He said, his face turning bright red.

She turned red as well. "M-mate!" She squeaked. She began trying to leave his back, but his hold on her tightened. "Inuyasha!" She objected. "I don't want to be a mate! I want to be loved! This is so not fair!"

Inuyasha stopped, shifting his grasp and bringing her in front of him. He kept his hands on her waist, holding her feet off the ground so she wouldn't hurt her ankle. "Kagome, you don't fully understand what I mean, do you?" He said, staring down into her eyes.

"Mating is having sex, right!" She tried to push him away. "NO! I'm not just going to be a baby making toy!"

"Would you...shut up!" He wrapped his arms tighter around her to keep her from falling. "Dammit Kagome! Fucking listen, okay!" He saw her eyes widen and tried not to notice her breasts pressed against his chest. Yet, a soft moan escaped him. "Yes, I want to rut with you." He snapped, his face darkening. "But I could rut with you and not mate with you." He saw her eyes widen and he slowly put some space between them. "Dammit, woman..."

She blushed, looking at the ground. "Please, put me down..."

"You shouldn't stand on your ankle!" He objected. Besides, he was enjoying holding her with her unable to run away this time.

"Then at least set me down..."

He nodded, scooping her into his arms and kneeling, allowing her back to rest against a tree trunk, her legs stretched out in front of her. "Kagome..." He knelt before her, his face serious. "I ain't good at talkin to people, you know that..." He blushed. "Especially about stuff like this..." A gentle claw pulled some dead leaves from her hair. "Look..." He took a deep breath. "I'm reaching maturity, and when inu youkai reach maturity, they take a mate. Mating isn't about sex, or children. Human's have something that's like mating..." He wracked his brain. "What the hell is that word. That thing with the fucking sake and shit..."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Marraige!"

"That's it!" He pointed at her. Then he blushed. "Mating..." He glanced away. "It's two beings joining to be together...sometimes...sometimes children come from mating, but they don't have to..." He played with the sleeve of his haori. "Demon's can prevent that...Kagome...I..."

She felt a flush rising to her cheeks and stared at him through wide eyes. What was he asking her?

"Kagome, I want you to become my mate." He exhaled slowly, his face flushed.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Sango was starting to get worried about her friend. Kagome had been gone for a long time, and there was still no sign of either her, nor Inuyasha. "I wonder what's keeping them..." Sango wondered idly.

"Maybe something good happened." Miroku grinned widely.

"Maybe something bad happened." Sango replied at the same time. "Inuyasha has been acting awfully strangely lately..." She winced, feeling something bite her, reached down and smooshed Myoga. "Myoga-jii-chan...when did you get here?"

Shippou looked at Myoga, then went back to wrestling with Kirara.

"Inuyasha is coming of age, soon." Myoga replied, popping back into shape.

Miroku stared at the flea blankly. "Coming of age?"

Myoga nodded sagely. "The age where an Inu Youkai takes his mate." The demon glanced around. "Speaking of which, where is Inuyasha-sama?"

Sango's eyes widened in shock and fear. "Taking a mate! SHIT! Kagome!" She jumped up, grabbing her boomerang, and was about to run off into the forest when Miroku stopped her. "Wha-Houshi! Let me fucking go! Kagome could be in danger!"

"Inuyasha can't mate with her unless he has her permission." Miroku said evenly. He glanced towards Myoga. "I suspected something was up. It's very unlike him to stare at Kagome like he has been...But mating?" He shook his head. "I wonder why he picked Kagome and not Kikyou..."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Inuyasha held his breath, waiting for Kagome's response. Her face had gone through a myriad of emotions before she'd lowered her face. He kept his hands off of her, waiting for her response. After a moment, he looked away. "You don't have to say anything yet..." He said, his voice suddenly sullen. He turned his back towards her, offering to carry her like that. "Come on, the other's are probably worried about you..."

Kagome lifted her eyes and saw he had his back to her and she couldn't see his face. She didn't know what to say. Never, even in her wildest dreams, had she ever imagined Inuyasha asking her for something like this. She'd always known he loved Kikyou...but here he was asking her to, for lack of a better word, marry him. Her heart was screaming yes, but her head interfered, with it's normal doubts. The combination had made her unable to respond. So instead, she wound her arms around his shoulders, and allowed him to carry her back to camp.

Inuyasha chastized himself. 'What did you expect?' He mentally yelled. 'The past three years you've been an indecisive jerk. Torn between Kikyou and Kagome...' He began to walk forward, trying to ignore the shift of her breasts against his back, the urge to press her to the forest floor and force her to mate with him. He squeezed his eyes shut. How he wanted her...

The girl pressed her face against Inuyasha's shoulder. She had always wanted Inuyasha to want her, so why was she hesitating? Why was she so scared to answer him? She was eighteen years old, perfectly normal marrying age in her time. Yet something at the back of her mind was reminding her something she wanted to forget.

'I'm just Kikyou's copy...that's the only reason he wants me...'

Tears filled her eyes, and she sniffled. 'He only wants me because Kikyou's dead. I don't think she can actually have children...her being dead as she is...' She didn't voice her fears aloud, but instead, she pretended to fall asleep on Inuyasha's back.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Everyone looked up when the sullen hanyou entered the clearing where they'd set up camp. The flea jumped up, latching onto his neck. Inuyasha half-heartedly swiped it away. "Inuyasha-sama, has she agreed!" Myoga asked eagerly.

"Shut up." He snapped, shifting his grip on the girl and gently resting her against her sleeping bag. Her eyes were already closed in sleep. He straightened, then jumped into the tree closest to her, and looked up at the moon.

Myoga frowned in mild disappointment. He had been certain the girl would agree. After all, it was easy to see the girl was in love with him. Why on earth would she deny him? "M'lord-"

"Shut the fuck up." Inuyasha glared down at the flea, his face darkening. "Don't fucking say another word about it." With that, he turned, looking away from the humans and small demons in the camp and went back to watching the moon. She hadn't replied. She'd just sit there, unresponsive. He was angry, he was upset. Disappointed. He felt like a fool.

Slowly, his eyes drifted down to the humans that were slowly adjourning to bed. The kit crawled up beside Kagome, who hugged him closer in her sleep. He snorted, looking away. 'Stupid girl, and stupider me for liking her. What the hell was I thinking, asking her to be my mate! I should have known she wouldn't want me...' He kept his ears roving for sounds that would hint to oncoming danger.

When everyone's breaths had slowed to their sleeping pace, he crept from the tree, sitting beside Kagome's head. His face saddened a bit, and he touched her face. "Forget I said anything, Kagome..." He whispered, hurt filling him. "I should never have put this burden upon you. You probably have some mate in your time that you love...It's...it's selfish of me to ask you to be with me..." He felt his eyes began to itch and quickly rubbed them, keeping the tears away. "Just forget I said anything..." He lept back up into his tree, burying his face into his hand. 'I deserve to be alone. I certainly don't deserve a mate. Especially not Kagome...'

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome contemplated Inuyasha's proposal, the next morning, remembering his request as though it had only happened moments before. The next day, Inuyasha had put much more space between them than was normal, even requesting Kirara carry Kagome, rather than him. It hurt her to have him act like this after his request the night before.

They had been traveling for hours when Inuyasha told them they were stopping to rest. No one had asked him, but he'd glanced at Kagome only minutes before and seen the weary look on her face. When everyone was settled, Inuyasha stalked off into the forest, where Kagome couldn't follow, due to the pain that was still causing her ankle to throb.

"I wonder why we stopped..." Sango muttered. "A few days ago, Inuyasha wouldn't have stopped unless someone was either hurt or..." She stopped herself, glancing towards the girl.

"Kikyou was nearby..." Kagome finished, smiling bitterly. She looked down at her hands. It was her own fault if he'd just run off to Kikyou. She was taking her sweet time, procrastinating with her answer to him. The boy she loved had probably just given up.

"My lady, did m'lord Inuyasha ask for you to be his mate?"

Kagome looked at the ground, her face sad. She didn't respond to Myoga's questioning. 'It doesn't matter. If he picks Kikyou instead of me...I'll be happy for him...at least he get's the one he truly loves...' Kagome buried her face into her hands and started crying, oblivious to her friends attempts to comfort her. 'It's my fault...'

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Inuyasha stepped into the clearing, finding Kikyou waiting there. He remained where he was, across the clearing from her. "Kikyou." He said evenly.

She raised her eyes to his, and smiled. "I knew you would return to me...come...let us...let us go where we belong..."

"I already died for you once." Inuyasha said softly. "I've reached my coming of age, and there's someone who needs me to stay alive now." He shook his head, looking to the ground. "I asked Kagome to be my mate."

"What..." Kikyou stared at him in shock. "You are obligated to follow me to hell!"

He clenched his hands into fists. "I am...obligated to destroy Naraku, to avenge your death, to give you peace. I...I can't follow you to hell, Kikyou. I'm not dead. I'm alive. My heart beats in my chest, and blood flows through my veins. You..." He looked away. "You're merely the shell of a woman who once was." Slowly, he looked back at her, not surprised to see horror and anger upon her face. "I don't love you anymore, Kikyou. I've moved on." He bit his lip, forcing his request out. "Please, don't approach Kagome and I anymore."

She stood abruptly, walking towards him. "Inuyasha, your life belongs to me!"

"I belong to no one." He said, then he turned on his heal, leaving his old love alone there. As he walked away, he felt more empowered than he had before in his life. He noticed an unusual bounce in his step, and the weight on his shoulders felt as though it had halved. He knew he would keep his promise, and avenge her, but...he was free.

He paused, resting a hand against his heart. It beat wildly beneath his palm. He looked up, seeing he was approaching the camp rapidly. He stretched, and entered it. The first person he looked towards was Kagome. To his surprise, everyone was trying to calm her down. Her body was convulsing with the force of her sobs. His eyes narrowed and he walked towards her.

Miroku looked up as Inuyasha approached and his face darkened. "What did you do to her, Inuyasha!" He snapped, his face angry. He looked at Kagome as one looked upon a younger sister, inspite of his jokes about groping her, he truly had a brotherly love for her.

Sango jumped up, grabbing Hiraikotsu and preparing to fend the hanyou off. "Did you force her!" She asked, her voice icy.

Kagome's baleful wails met the hanyou's ears and he looked them dead in the face and growled in the back of his throat. "Get out of my way..." He snarled, then pushed them. He reached Kagome and carefully scooped her into his arms. "Kagome..." He whispered, holding her tenderly. "Please...don't cry..." He whispered, rocking her gently. "Please, Kagome..." He buried his nose into her hair, whimpering softly. He hated it when she cried. That would never change.

Slowly, Kagome realized who was holding her and she felt her tears subside. She blinked, looking up at the hanyou who was looking at her with such a heartbroken expression. "Inu...yasha?"

He gently cupped her face, brushing the tears away. "Kagome, we need to talk privately..." He said softly. Slowly, he turned towards the others. "We're heading back to Kaede-babaa's village. Now." He said evenly, scooping Kagome up onto his back carefully.

Everyone looked at him in shock. "Who are you and what have you done with Inuyasha?" The monk asked, resting a hand on his forehead.

Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched. "Shut up, bozu..." He snapped. "There's nothing fucking wrong with me...But Kaede should check Kagome's ankle. If we got attacked right now, she'd get hurt!"

Everyone stared at him.

A blush began to cover his face and he stomped past them, his face annoyed. 'Fuckers...' "Just come on!" He snapped, glaring back at them. He glanced back, seeing Kagome wasn't looking at him. He frowned a bit, lowering his voice so only she would hear. "What's wrong?" He asked softly.

"Did you see her?" Kagome asked softly, staring into the trees. She could see the soul stealers following them. Kikyou had been there.

Inuyasha looked down at the ground. "Yes, but probably not why you think I did." He felt her stiffen in response and he looked at the ground. "I told her to leave us alone from now on. I still have to avenge her...but she no longer has any hold on me."

Kagome's head jerked up and she stared at the back of his head. Slowly, her lips turned up into a small smile and she relaxed, resting her forehead against the back of his head.

He felt the change in her demeanor. He could smell the relief permeating her every pore. He smiled a bit. "I don't need your answer now..." He said softly. "Take your time." He gave her hand a reassuring pat. "I'll wait for you."

Kagome felt her heart lodge in her throat and pressed her face firmly against his shoulder. 'Oh, Inuyasha...' She smiled, a tear rolling down her face. "Thank you..."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

TBC(?)

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_AN: This started off as an attempt to write...well, a fic where the guys actually act like the boys their age. Too often authors (Self included) portray Inuyasha like a good boy, who doesn't have these urges. Well...let's look at the facts. Mentally, Inuyasha is about the age of a 16-20 year old boy. From the time boy's hit puberty, at least according to my husband, until they hit about 25, their libido is in overdrive. I don't care if Inuyasha was born 200 years ago, physically and mentally, he's still a teenager. In my story, towards the beginning, Inuyasha's mentality is very much that of a teenage boy. As long as no body notices. The second he get's accused of, well, doing what Miroku does, he denies it furiously and tends to sulk. As the story progresses, I bring in the 'coming of age', where Inuyasha would take a mate. I may or may not continue this. It depends on the feedback I recieve for this part of the story. If you all want it finished, send me a little review. It's not hard, just click go in that little box at the bottom. Thanks all._


	2. Chapter 2

_AN::Blink blink: Holy shit. Wow...I really didn't think I would get such an emphatic response for this first chapter...Well, a very special thanks to: Althea Astera Renata, ChineseKagome, Flame-sama (Triple points for Flame-sama for being the first to review, and the first to put this story on alert!), Kalana Fox, Kagome lover, katarafightingprincess, MelissaRocks214, SlummyRedDragon(Double points for having this story as a favorite and on alert!), DatChicAnna (Double points for being the first to put this story on favorites), dragon's kitty, katty-kat, and RRED. Also, sincere thanks for all of the people who have reviewed this first chapter. I hope the story continues to live up to your expectations!_

_Coming of Age_

By: Demonsaya

oooooooooooooooooooooo

**2**

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"OW!"

"If you would quit moving so much, Kagome-sama, it would hurt less." Kaede chastized the girl, noting how Inuyasha flinched every time she cried out. There was a strange atmosphere between the two that she'd noticed ever since they'd returned, and Inuyasha had insisted that she fix Kagome's ankle.

A brief explanation that it would, in fact, take TIME to fix a strained ankle did little to calm the vexed demon. Her telling him that she shouldn't walk on it for a minimum of two weeks didn't help matters. He was acting as though Kaede herself had been the one who'd inflicted the quite non-fatal injury.

"Isn't there anything you can do, Kaede-babaa!" Inuyasha snapped, watching Kagome biting her lip tighter and tighter as the old woman bound the girl's ankle to prevent the girl from moving it too much. Watching her do such to his potential mate wasn't making his temper go away, it was just making it worse.

Kaede glared at the hanyou. "Inuyasha, things like this..." She gestured towards the ankle she was wrapping. "Take time. Her muscles have pulled, and she's lucky she didn't fracture her ankle completely!"

Inuyasha made a whining noise, remembering that her injury was his fault. He pouted, getting to his feet and walking abruptly from the hut.

"Inuyasha, wait!" Kagome called. To her surprise, he stopped, glancing back at her.

His heart had jumped clear into his throat when he'd heard her say his name. 'Listen to her, maybe there's something the people in her world can do...' He flexed his hands. He didn't say anything, just waited for her to continue.

"If you'll take me to my home...and give me a day or so..." She could see the irritation begin to form on his face. "Then I can get crutches to help me move around a bit." She saw his eyes widen and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Fine, we'll go as soon as babaa is done wrapping your ankle..." He looked away, but moved back into the hut. He sat down on the other side, away from everyone else, watching Kagome with a rather irritated expression.

Miroku glanced towards Sango, then gestured towards Inuyasha. The demon had been acting very strangely for several days. In fact, he'd been acting strangely since the night Myoga had rejoined them, announcing that Inuyasha was reaching his coming of age. Since that night, Kagome had been exceptionally quiet, and Inuyasha had been sticking close to her, like glue. He had a hunch, but he hadn't had a chance to get Sango alone and voice his opinion. After all, Inuyasha had insisted they head right back, which meant that they hadn't been alone at all.

"Inuyasha-sama! I demand that you answer me right this instant!" Myoga bounced on Inuyasha's knee, all four arms waving up and down, the picture of anger in miniature. "Have you decided on taking a mate yet!"

"Shut UP, you fucking flea!" Inuyasha snapped, squashing the flea as hard as he could into the floor. He caught Kaede looking at him and glared at the woman. "WHAT!" He snapped, then looked away, leaning back against the hut wall.

"I see you have reached your coming of age..." Kaede gave a small smile. "That explains a bit. Such as why you're so eager for Kagome to be able to move freely. Has she consented yet?"

"Mind your fucking BUSINESS, Babaa!" Inuyasha snapped. "Hurry up with her fucking ankle so she can get her stupid 'kruches'." He looked at Kagome and his face softened almost imperceptibly. "I'm gonna be outside. Call me when you're fucking ready to go." He snapped. A moment later, he was leaning against the side of the hut.

Kagome watched him go, then looked back at Kaede. "Kaede-obaa-chan...what makes you think that he asked me...?" She asked, playing with the hem of her skirt.

"Wild guess, really. And from the looks he's been giving you for a few weeks. It was like suddenly he'd discovered that you were actually a female." She chuckled, tying off the wrap. "I will only say this to you, Kagome-sama." Kaede said, smiling a bit. "Don't let him rush you into your decision."

The girl blushed darkly. "Don't be rediculous...Kaede-obaa-chan..."

Shippou bounced towards. "What's the coming of age?" He asked, looking up at Kaede.

Sango scooted closer, lowering her voice. "Well, from what Myoga-jii-san said, it's about time for Inuyasha to mate." She said, thumping the kit on his nose. "You don't need to worry about it for a few hundred years."

He wiped sweat from his forehead. "Thank god!" He said, blushing. "That's just icky!"

Kagome giggled a bit. She opened her mouth, about to say something, when Inuyasha stormed into the hut. She looked at him, and then her eyes dropped to the ground. "Sorry..." She mumbled.

Inuyasha glared at the residents in the hut and picked up Kagome, scooping her up onto his back, before walking out the door without a word. He began walking towards the forest, ignoring the strange looks from several of the villagers. Fortunately for him, few normal humans knew shit about the coming of age, much less that it even existed.

The girl on his back squirmed a bit and he glanced back at her. "Are you uncomfortable?" He asked quietly.

She lifted her face and blushed a bit. "Um...no...I'm fine." In all honesty, his claws were biting her backside just a bit, but she wasn't about to say that and get his mind focussed on her backside. A frown turned down her lips again and she shifted.

The hanyou bit back a moan and gave a warning glare to the girl. "Kagome, _stop moving._" He said, his voice cracking a bit. He glanced back and saw the confusion on her face and gave her a meaningful look. "Look, bitch, just...stop squirming like that..."

She blushed, stilling her motions and buried her face into his shoulder. "Then please ease up with the claws." She bit back, closing her eyes.

"Sorry..." He muttered, and she felt the sting ease up. He felt her hands resting lightly on his shoulders and looked away. "We still need to talk." He muttered under his breath.

She lifted her face, glancing towards him. "Later...okay?" She said softly.

He bit his lip, glaring at the ground. Her breasts were once again pressed against his back and a strangely seductive scent was tickling his nose. "Kagome, I need to tell you this NOW." He said firmly. They reached the well and he sat her upon the edge, putting his hands on her shoulders. "It's really important, okay?"

She bit her lip, lifting her gaze to his. "Alright, Inuyasha." She said, sighing, her shoulder's sagging.

He dropped to his knees, staring up into her face. "Kagome, some demons don't have to ask for the woman to be their mate." He looked her directly in the eye. "Sometimes, all a demon has to do is rape the woman. Each kind of demon's ritual is different. Dog demon's HAVE to ask permission before they mark their mate. It's part of...a mutual respect thing." He shifted, uncomfortably.

Kagome took a deep breath, nodding for him to continue. She shifted uncomfortably, chewing on her lip. "Go on..."

"One of the demon races that don't ask...are wolves." He said evenly, looking her dead in the eyes. "And if Kouga has reached his coming of age as well, then...Kagome, it might be best for you to stay with your mother until you make your decision." He said, exhaling slowly.

Her eyes widened and she stared at him in shock. "Wh-what about the jewel?" She asked softly, cupping Inuyasha's face between her hands. "What will you do until I decide? You guys need me here, and Miroku's kazanaa is like a time bomb...and he's running OUT."

He gave her a dry smile. "Then I guess you better hurry up and decide..." He said, standing. "I should get you home..."

"KAGOME!"

Inuyasha stiffened, and he gave her his back, scooping her up onto it. "Shit...I knew he'd be coming soon..." He glared in the direction of the wolf's voice and jumped into the well, letting it take them away from this time. When he went back, Kouga would undoubtedly have several questions for him.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome's mother stirred the soup that rested on the stove, smiling faintly. She hummed as she cooked, checking the fish that was roasting in the oven. She heard two arguing people approaching the house, and smiled. She knew she had a reason for cooking such a very small meal that night. After all, Souta was spending the night at a friends house.

Inuyasha stormed into the house with Kagome on his back. The woman's eyes were drawn from the annoyed hanyou, towards her daughter, who was yelling at him that he was 'such a jerk' and around the time Inuyasha brought up it was for 'her own protection', the older woman caught sight of her daughter's ankle. "Ah, Inuyasha, Kagome-chan, okaeri nasai!"

"Mama...that smells heavenly..." Kagome murmured, her argument temporarily forgotten. She saw Inuyasha was about to storm away, and her mother spoke up.

"Hojo called earlier...I tried to discourage him from coming over, but...he just wouldn't listen." Her mom winked at her, letting her know she was telling a white lie. "I guess when he gets here, he'll want to ask you out again..."

Inuyasha froze, standing stark still. "Why would he do that?" He glared at Kagome, his hands tightening into fists.

Mrs. Higurashi looked at Inuyasha with an arched eyebrow. "Why would that matter, Inuyasha-kun?" She asked, smiling.

The hanyou blushed, grinding his teeth together. "Keh, it doesn't..." He snarled.

"Then again, I suppose you'll have to go with him when he gets here anyways...I only made enough for me and grandpa, since Souta's staying over with friend, and you DO have to eat dinner..." She smiled idly, watching the hanyou twitch in annoyance.

Kagome saw Inuyasha tossing around the idea that her mother had so cruely planted into his over active mind, and he was suffering for it. "But what if Inuyasha stayed here?" She looked at her mother, fighting a grin. She heard the hanyou suck in a sharp breath.

"Well, I don't really have enough food for two more people tonight, tomorrow I go to market, so I guess you'll have to go out anyways." A shrug. "Sorry, Kagome, I know you miss my cooking when you're away." She said, smiling faintly. "I could go upstairs and check to see if we have any clothing that might fit Inuyasha..." She said, smiling cheerfully.

"I never said I was staying!" Inuyasha snapped as the woman left the room. 'But wait...if I don't stay...Kagome will spend time with a different guy...if I'm here, Kagome can spend time with me doing things that...guys and girls do...' His mind slowly lodged itself in the gutter, and he started imagining all the things that boys and girls might do in Kagome's strange time. A moment later, the sound of Kagome clearing her throat shook him out of his stupor. "Huh, what?"

'What's with that dopey grin on his face?' Kagome wondered. "Are you staying or not?" Kagome asked, arching an eyebrow.

He coughed, looking away. "Fine, sure, whatever..." He muttered.

Her heart jumped up into her chest. "R-really?" She blinked in shock. He actually wanted to stay. She'd thought that after the argument about Inuyasha jumping into the well because Kouga was coming towards them would have chased him off in a heartbeat, but he was going to stay. She cautiously peered up at him when he nodded his head. She smiled. "Then you better go get cleaned up." She said, shooing him away. "I'll stay here and watch the food. I can at least hop as far as the stove."

Hesitantly, he complied, leaving her alone in the kitchen. Once she was alone, she began to ponder the past few weeks. She hadn't really noticed Inuyasha's strange behavior until just a week ago, when she realized he seemed to be sticking closer to her than was normal, and his eyes always seemed trained on her. Then, the anti-climatic event, when Inuyasha told her he wanted her to be his mate. She had frozen. Even today, a little less than four days later, she still hadn't responded to his statement, in either the negative or the affirmative.

Kagome looked down at her hands, biting her lip. She could remember the event clearly. She could even remember why she hadn't responded. And then...only a day later, Inuyasha disappeared into the forest around noon, returning to tell her that he had officially called off his relationship with Kikyou. Which told her one thing.

Inuyasha was serious. Dead serious about this 'mating' business. It embarassed her to no end, but he had told her, completely seriously that it wasn't just for sex.

Kagome put her hand over her heart, closing her eyes. Why was she still hesitating? She opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling light. The fan turned round and round, hypnotizing her. A small sigh escaped her, and she heard her mother enter the room. She turned towards her and saw the woman smiling faintly.

"Inuyasha's in the shower. I left some clothing in their with him. I'm not sure on the fit, but better a little big than too small." She moved, sitting across from her daughter at the table. "Now, tell me what happened."

This had become a ritual, whenever Kagome returned, she had to give her mother a complete update on the mission, and how her second family was doing. Yet, Kagome couldn't think of the others, her mind was too filled with a certain hanyou. "Mama, he said he wants me to be his mate..." She said, staring at the table.

Mrs. Higurashi's eyes widened and she touched her daughter's hand. "Baby..."

"He...he said that's what demon's call marraige..." She clung to her mother's hand, taking a steadying breath. "I was so shocked...I didn't know what to say...and then I remembered all that ugly business with Kikyou...and I just couldn't say anything..." Tears began to fall down her face. "I didn't know what to do! I love him so much, I don't want to say no, but...what if he still loves Kikyou and only sent her away because..."

Her mother stood, and embraced her daughter tightly. "Kagome, I think that boy cares for you a great deal." She said softly. "I don't know everything that happened with him and this Kikyou woman, but I don't think he would ask you something like that if he didn't care for you much, much more." She stroked her daughter's hair. "I found grandpa's crutches. They should be okay for you till we can get you to a doctor."

Kagome nodded, sniffling. Her mother brought her the things and handed them to her. Kagome tested them and then sat back down, adjusting the height till it was better for her. When she was done, she looked at her mother and smiled. "Thanks mom, I'm going to go up and get ready."

"Okay, honey."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Inuyasha grumbled as he got into the clothing Mrs. Higurashi had laid out for him. "This is so stupid." He complained, pulling the t-shirt over his head. It was a tiny bit snug, but the material was very soft, which he liked. It also stretched easily and was easy to move in. 'Hm, are all of the clothing in this world like this?' He glanced doubtingly at the bluejeans and pulled them on as Kagome's mother had instructed. He fiddled with the zipper, cursing and muttering as he finally figured out how to secure that part of the pants. The button was easy. There was a nice little hole to slide it through.

He looked at the other shirt she'd brought him and shrugged, pulling that one on, too. This one had much longer sleeves, and buttoned down the front. He looked at himself in the mirror and scowled. "Stupid human clothing..." He muttered. Then, he stomped out of the bathroom, and down the stairs.

He walked into the kitchen, expecting to find Kagome waiting, but to his surprise, Kagome wasn't there. "Where's Kagome?"

"Upstairs changing." She said, smiling cheerfully. "Have a seat. I need to talk to you."

He frowned, grumbling. Yet, he complied with her demand and seated himself at the small table.

"Now, I understand you asked my daughter to be your mate..." She said, stirring the pot.

His jaw dropped. How did she-Kagome. His face darkened. 'What the hell possessed the bitch to tell her MOTHER what I said...for the love of-'

"I want to know why." The woman turned, her face perfectly serious. "Don't get angry with Kagome. She needed to talk to somebody, and you're lucky that I didn't flip out and come upstairs brandishing a frying pan." She leaned against the stove, her arms crossed. "Why do you want my daughter to be your mate?"

He played with the edge of the shirt, refusing to look at her. "Damned if I know...seemed like a good idea at the time..." He muttered, glaring towards the door.

"Inuyasha-kun, if you're just asking her because she looks like this...Kikyou person, I suggest you just leave her alone." She said sternly. "Now, I gave her a pep-talk, telling her that you wouldn't have asked if you didn't seriously care for HER. Don't make me have lied to her."

He squirmed. "Look..." He finally said. "I don't know how I really feel for Kagome. I know she's attractive, and I know she's my friend. I'd rather have her as my mate than pick Kikyou. I broke things off with Kikyou." He blushed, looking at the ground. "Why the hell am I defending my decision towards you..." He muttered.

"Because I'm the one person who can keep you from marrying my daughter." She said sternly tossing a ball cap at him.

"Inuyasha?"

Kagome's voice ended the conversation. Inuyasha glanced towards the door, seeing Kagome walk in. His jaw dropped. All logical thought in his head screeched to a halt.

She walked in wearing a short satin dress that reached to the middle of her thighs, the same color brown as her eyes. It clung to her breasts, then flared out a bit for the skirt. Her hair was pulled back into a french braid, and there was a sweet blush on her face.

The hanyou didn't know when he'd risen to his feet, or when he walked to her, but he did know that at the moment, for him at least, there wasn't another person besides them in the world. He brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. He couldn't think of any words to say to her. She looked beautiful.

Kagome took in Inuyasha's appearance and managed to keep herself from getting a stupid grin on her face. He had on dark blue jeans with a black t-shirt on beneath, that she couldn't help but notice it seemed to have formed to each of the muscles in his chest, and she idly wondered if it did the same at his back. Over that, he wore a decidedly un-buttoned black linen shirt. 'He looks really good in black...' She idly thought, giving him a bright smile. It was just starting to get dark, and she was getting hungry.

Inuyasha shook himself out of his stupor and ground his teeth together. "C'mon, let's go..." He said, gesturing towards the door. He'd be damned if he made more of a fool of himself in front of her mother. He pulled the ball cap the older woman had given him over his ears.

The girl pouted a bit when Inuyasha didn't even give her a single compliment. 'What, am I not pretty enough in this!' Her mind screamed. She felt him carefully take her hand and fought the urge to rip it free in anger. 'Give him a chance...maybe...maybe he'll still say something...' She looked at the ground, wearing a dark expression. 'Yeah, right, Kagome. And you'll sprout wings and become a dove, rather than a pidgeon.' She glared at the ground. She hobbled outside and sat down to put some shoes on.

"Kagome..." Inuyasha started, trying to think of something to say. He could tell she was annoyed with him, and idly wondered if it wasn't because he hadn't said something about how she looked, which confused the crap out of him. 'Why would she care what I think of the way she looks?'

"You should put something on your feet, Inuyasha." She said, pointing at a pair of zori that were on the ground. She watched him do as she requested and arched an eyebrow. He was being awfully complient with this situation...She shook her head, and gave him a weak smile. "You look very nice, Inuyasha." She said softly.

"Thanks..." He mumbled. "Y-you too..." He offered a hand to help her get up again and his heart pounded when her tiny hand rested in it. He hauled her to her feet, and let his eyes ran over her again. "Kagome...about that thing that I said...about you becoming my mate...maybe it wasn't a good idea..." He muttered softly as they walked side-by-side.

Kagome froze, looking up at him abruptly. "Wh-what!"

He scooped her up in one arm, and grabbed her crutches in the other, carrying her down the many shrine steps. "It's just...you seem uncomfortable about the whole situation and..." He set her down when they reached the bottom. He hurried, getting her set back up on her crutches. "I don't want to change things between us...I want us to still be friends..." He looked away, blushing faintly.

"I'll always be your friend, Inuyasha..." She said softly. She hobbled along beside him, and looked towards him. "You're the best friend I have..." She said, blushing, looking at his lightly blushing face. "I l-" She didn't notice that she'd set her crutch on a rock till her balance gave and she began to fall forward.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha deftly caught her, steadying her. "Are you okay?" He asked, holding her steady. He saw tears in her eyes and his breath caught in her throat. Without a word, he wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her tight. He rested his forehead on her shoulder. "Kagome..." He whispered. "Don't cry, you know I hate it when you cry..." He gently stroked her back, enjoying the way her dress felt against his skin. It was cool and smooth, but not quite as smooth as her skin.

Kagome ground her teeth together. 'Stupid rock! I was about to tell him, and it ruined the moment! She felt Inuyasha's hands trailing over her back and a flush colored her face and she pulled back quickly, wiping her eyes. "I'm okaya, Inuyasha..." She smiled faintly. "Let's go get some food, I'm starving..."

He released her, allowing her to balance her weight on the two sticks again. "Okay...yeah...let's go..."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"Where are they, MONK!" Kouga asked, getting dangerously close to throttling Miroku, who'd been out to dwell on his fate, when the wolf demon had come across them.

Miroku glared at him. "They went to Kagome's home. It's a place I can't follow, and as far as I know, neither can anyone else. Inuyasha and Kagome are the only two who can go there. The well wont allow other's to pass through!"

Kouga snarled, throwing the monk away. "What right does he have to be with my woman without supervision!"

"From what I understand..." Miroku straightened his robes. "Kagome's mother is there to chaperone, and Kagome is far safer with Inuyasha, right now." He stood, looking at the demon. "You've reached your coming of age as well, I take it?"

"Naturally, and I've come to take Kagome as my mate." He snapped, glaring at the monk. "Now, you tell me when they'll be back!"

"I don't know. Inuyasha may be back tonight. Kagome has hurt her ankle and she'll be in her own world until it heals, which Kaede-baa-san says will probably take a few weeks." Better if Kouga didn't know the exact length of time. After all-

"Fine, if no one knows, then I'll just go wait for her by the well, till she returns!" With that, the wolf demon disappeared into the forest. 'When she comes through that well, I'm going to mark her, and then let's see that dog turd fucking try to keep her with him all the time!'

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome and Inuyasha ate at a ramen shop. Inuyasha had begged, and since she knew his favorite food in either world was the noodles, she relented. It was a nice change of pace, rather than Hojo, who always insisted on dragging her to Wacdonalds for the eight millionth time. Her companion's eyes had bulged when he'd seen the selection of ramen on the menu and he asked Kagome if this was normal.

She smiled, watching as he deftly carried the tray of ramen to a table, and they sat across from each other. It took her several moments after they began eating to realize what he was doing differently than he normally did and realized he was taking his time, and eating in a civilized manner. Her eyes widened and she felt tears prickle them and quickly blinked them away. He would even finish chewing before speaking. "Wow, you really DO have manners...where did this come from?" Kagome teased lightly, smiling at him.

He blinked, realizing he'd been displaying the manners he'd thought he'd forgotten. He set the chopsticks down and frowned. "Mom..." He muttered, his face saddening a bit. "She always insisted I learn them..." He stared down into the ramen broth, then looked up at her. "I'm kinda glad now...I don't want to embarass you." He looked down again.

She leaned over the table, cupping the side of his face. "You never embarass me." She whispered, smiling at him.

"Kagome-chan! What are you doing here!"

The pair jerked apart abruptly, and Kagome looked towards the intruders. Their names were Sayuri, Ayumi, and Reika, her three friends and schoolmates. She groaned inwardly. Deep down, she'd been hoping that this day would never come, that her school friends would never meet Inuyasha. "Hi, guys..." She said, wishing they would just go away...

"Wow, imagine our good luck, we were bringing Hojo-kun over to see you tonight, and imagine that, here you are, up and about! Hojo-kun's with us!" Sayuri said, cheerfully sitting on one of Kagome's sides, leaving the other open for the boy approaching.

"Ah, Higurashi-san!" He said, sliding into the chair on her other side, while the other two girls shrugged, sitting on either side of Inuyasha.

Kagome flashed the boy she had started the date with a look that begged for his forgiveness.

"So, who's this cutie?" Ayumi asked, although she already had her suspicions. 'This must be that boy that Kagome's in love with...'

"Everyone, this is a dear friend of mine, Inuyasha. He's in from out of town." She said, wishing she could just sink into the floor, right then and there. She watched him pick up his chopsticks and give a careless wave. Then, as she watched, he gave a murderous glance towards Hojo, who was acting entirely too familiar with her, and then began eating his ramen calmly.

"Higurashi-san, I must say you look positively radiant!" Hojo gushed, smiling brightly at her as he began to eat his ramen with a great deal of dignity. "Why haven't you worn that dress on one of our dates?"

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha outside the corner of her eyes and saw his grip on the chopsticks had tightened. "Because Inuyasha bought it for me as a gift." She said evenly. She glanced towards her favorite hanyou and rose slowly. "I've kinda lost my appetite, Inuyasha...I'll wait for you outside."

"No, I'm done, too." Inuyasha said, standing up and walking around the table to help her stand. He retrieved her crutches and gave Hojo a look of murder over her shoulder.

"Oh, Higurashi-san, I could walk you home!" Hojo said, jumping to his feet. "I need to talk to you, anyways." He gave this 'Inuyasha' person a challenging expression, only to have the wind knocked out of him by the girl he'd always considered his girlfriend.

"Inuyasha is more than capable to escort me, besides, we're not going straight home." She said, feeling Inuyasha guiding her towards the door. "Bye, guys, see you in school!"

The girls watched in shock, and Hojo squeezed his chopsticks till they broke. "What...the hell...was that!" Hojo glared towards the girls and they jumped.

Ayumi gave Hojo a look. You girls know the one I'm talking about. "It's Kagome's business who she dates. But I think 'that' as you put it...was her ditching you."

Sayuri and Reika looked at her in shock. "Ayumi! You know that guy isn't any good for her! She even said so herself!"

Ayumi stood up, looking at her friends. "I was never part of this 'let's get Kagome to forget the guy she loves' plan. I think that boy is exactly who Kagome needs. Didn't you see them together! It was true love." She smiled, brightly, then gave all three people at the table a dark look. "If you guys keep it up, I'll officially swear you two off as friends, and...well...Hojo can just fend for himself!" With that, she dumped her ramen into the trash and hurried after Inuyasha and Kagome.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome led Inuyasha towards the park, and sat down on a bench. "I guess...this would be a good place for us to have that talk you wanted to..." She said, fiddling with the hem of her dress.

Inuyasha bit his lip, dropping to his knees in the dirt in front of her. "We don't have to talk about it now if you don't want, Kagome..." He said, taking her hands. He paused, looking up at her, then soldiered on. "Kouga's probably waiting on the other side of the well, you know..." He said, toying with her fingers.

She nodded slowly. "I know, that's why you want me to stay here until I make my decision." She leaned towards him, resting her forehead against the top of his head, and inadvertantly giving him a clear view down her cleavage.

His brain slowed to a stop and he moved his hand up her arm to her shoulder, where he stroked it idly. 'Nice...' He thought, eyeing the soft looking mounds visible down the neck line of her shirt. 'Is this why Miroku always grabs for them?' He slowly moved his hand down her chest, resting it against her heart, no mind that it was nestled between the two warm breasts.

Kagome blushed dark red, but allowed him to keep his hand there. "Inuyasha..." She said. "What is it you need to talk to me about?"

"I should probably tell you about the mark before you make your decision..." He said, meeting her eyes, till his eyes trailed down to the spot at the place where her neck and shoulder joined. "I'm going to have to bite you." He warned softly.

She nodded, blushing. "Why?"

"Because I have to...'taint' your blood with mine..." He blushed, angry at the word that Myoga had used when he was a runt. "You deserve to know the details before you make your decision." He muttered softly.

She looked at him in surprise. "'Taint'? You mean a blood bond?" She used one of her hands to tilt his face up so she could see it. She saw his eyes widen at her choice of words and blushed. "I have heard about stuff like that...in movies and stuff...it kinda gives two people a sort of psychic connection or something...but it links them inexplicably."

He nodded. "That sounds about right, but with demons it's a bit different." He chewed his lip. "If it was just a blood bond, it could be done anywhere...but demons have to mark in certain places, because it creates a link between the two people's souls...or something like that..." He muttered, blushing faintly.

She blushed as well. "Wh-where are these places...?" She asked, stroking his hair carefully.

He moved the hand that was nestled between her breasts and gently drug it up her shoulder, to the crook of her neck. "Here..." He murmured, trailing his fingers lightly along the area. "This is where dog demons make their mark. It's only temporarily visible to humans, but it's always visible to demons. And the lightest touch by one's mate...it can send someone into throws of ecstasy...or calm them completely..." His voice became a bit husky with that last part. "The mark is reflected upon the one who marked as well..." He murmured, caressing the spot gently, almost fondly.

Kagome shuddered faintly at the idea of such power over him. "Then...If I were to touch you there after...after you mark me...then it would do the same for you?" She reached out, gently caressing him in the same spot.

"That's what I've been told..." He murmured, closing his eyes, enjoying the play of her soft fingers against his skin. "God, I want you..." He whispered, clenching his jaw, whimpering softly. "I need you..." He slid his hand behind her neck, drawing her close and pressing a furious kiss against her lips. "Kagome, do you know what you do to me?" He whispered against her mouth, lightly scraping the backs of her arms with his claws, careful not to break the skin.

She shivered in his arms, slowly winding her arms around his neck, threading her fingers through his hair. His lips left hers, kissing down her neck to above her heart, where his lips began to assault her there. "I...nu...ya...sha..." She gasped, trying to catch her breath.

"You make me crazy..." He whispered against her skin, nipping her lightly with his fangs, letting his hands slide down, wrapping around her waist. "You make me forget everyone else, everything else..." He heard her whimper softly and moaned as she arched against his mouth. He was rapidly losing that small shred of control he posessed, and he wanted nothing more than to just let it go. "Oh, gods..." He whispered, ripping himself away, putting several feet of distance between them. He turned his back to her, taking several deep, controled breaths.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whimpered softly. He stopped? Why did he stop? She thought he wanted her, too! She blushed at the thought, but it was true, the second his lips had collided with hers, her control was gone. If he'd asked her right then, while he was kissing her, she would have said yes, without a second thought.

And that scared the crap out of her.

Inuyasha stood there for a long time, regaining control, while all his body wanted to do was lose it again. When he turned towards her, regret shone in his eyes. "Woman, you'll be the death of me..." He murmured, kneeling, grabbing her crutches off the ground, then helped her stand. He could see small bruises forming on her chest and his eyes shifted away from her. "I'm sorry."

She settled herself onto her crutches, and felt something drape around her shoulders a moment later. She looked over and saw Inuyasha had removed the long sleeve shirt and wrapped it around her. Her eyes softened and she looked up at him, seeing his face was very upset. "What is it?" She asked, pulling the shirt on and buttoning it up most of the way.

He moved, standing in front of her, buttoning it all the way to the collar. "I almost lost control...I'm sorry..." He lifted his eyes staring at her. "God knows I didn't want to stop..." He finished, and gently caressed her cheek. "But if I hadn't...I would have rushed you into something that you're probably not ready for...I said I'd give you time..." He shook his head.

Kagome flushed, looking away. "Let's go home, Inuyasha..." She said, giving a small smile. A soft gasp escaped her when he wrapped her in a tight embrace, and his face was buried into her shoulder.

"I have to go back to my world..." He whispered huskily. "If I remain at your side, I could hurt you..." He breathed her scent deeply, catching something that he didn't always smell when they were together. Her heat scent. Arousal. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"You wont." She said softly. She rested her head against his. She felt his hands shift from her back to her hips and suddenly, his hips were against hers, and something hard was wedged between them.

He moaned softly, opening his eyes, staring into hers. "Kagome, you don't know that. Hell, even I don't know that..." He looked meaningfully into her eyes. "I have to go back. I'll return...I'll come back once a week till you make your decision. If you want, we can keep going on these 'dates', until you're more comfortable with the idea..."

"I don't want you to leave..." She whispered, her eyes filled with tears. "I want you by my side..."

"But you wont tell me if you'll be my mate..." He said, his eyes pained. He gently caressed her face. "Kagome, I don't want to overwhelm you. I don't want you to think that you have no choice. It is your choice alone." He closed his eyes tightly. "Let's get you home." He put his arm around her shoulders, guiding her as she hobbled along beside him.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

They reached the house and he quickly changed back into his own clothing, while Kagome waited downstairs with a dejected expression on her face. She'd genuinely enjoyed their time alone, and now he was leaving, and it broke her heart. She still wore the shirt he'd worn around her shoulders, and she pulled it tighter around her as she sat on the couch. Everyone else had long since gone to sleep.

When he returned, he was wearing his normal clothing and he had a sad expression on his face. He walked directly to her and dropped to his knees before her. He embraced her gently, and kissed the top of her head. "I'll come back in a week..." He promised softly, caressing her hair, then her face. He gave her the briefest kiss goodbye, and then he was gone.

Tears filled Kagome's eyes as he left, and when she heard the door closed, she buried her face into her hands and began to cry.

Inuyasha stood outside the door, fighting the urge to go to her, to kiss her tears away. He couldn't stay too close to her or he'd lose himself and do something he knew he'd regret. "It's useless if she doesn't say she wants it too..." He murmured, then headed towards the well. He lept in, and then immediately sprang out of the other side, beginning to walk to the village.

He was obviously very distracted by his own thoughts because he didn't even remember seeing Kouga there earlier, much less smell him.

The blow left him reeling from shock. He staggered backwards several feet, then looked at the wolf who had struck the offending blow. "What the fuck was that for!" Inuyasha snapped.

"Your covered in my mate's scent..." The wolf snarled. "Where is the two-timing bitch...?"

Inuyasha saw red at the words. He was about to attack the monster who'd offended his potential mate, but he stopped himself, scoffing. "Keh...like I'd waste my time on you..." He snarled. "You'd force her to be your mate just so she couldn't be with me!"

"You're a hanyou...unnatural by all the standards that have been set by life...you don't deserve to live, much less mate..." Kouga hissed, circling the hanyou. "Let's finish this battle right now...So I can find and take my mate..."

"I've told her not to come back." Inuyasha said evenly. He saw the shock on Kouga's face and looked him dead in the face. "I see my instinct was right...you've reached your coming of age as well...and thought you'd just come here and force her to be your mate..." He glared at the wolf. "Let me give you fair warning, even if Kagome turns my offer down, if you force her to be your mate...I'll take her back to her time and make her stay there indeffinately. And then I'll kill you."

"Why the hell should I need permission, dog turd...I've told you a million times, she's MY woman. I will do with her as I please!"

Inuyasha snorted. "Let's see you do that if she never comes back. Maybe if she decides she wont be my mate, I'll just seal the well so she can't come through! Better to lose her myself than see her forced by you!" The hanyou took a steadying breath. "Now fucking get out of my face..." With that, he moved down towards the village.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome stared out the car window, her eyes dead. Her mother had tried to cheer her up all morning, but it was reasonably impossible. It had been less than two days and Inuyasha hadn't come back. She'd managed to stop crying, but she was still heart broken. She wasn't eating nearly enough to sustain herself, and her mother was worried.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon, sweety..." Her mother gently ruffled her hair and silently cursed a certain hanyou named Inuyasha.

"I'll be okay, mama." She said softly, glancing down at her strained ankle. She had a doctor's note excusing her from being to class exactly on time, and was relieved about it. "At least at school, I can throw myself into my work...and try to forget that he's gone..."

"Do you think he'll return for the new moon?" She asked idly, glancing towards her daughter.

"Probably..." She nodded. "Deffinately is more like it." She smiled. She'd like to have a nice, quiet, danger free night with the human side of her favorite hanyou. A sigh escaped her and she adjusted the shirt so her hickies weren't visible. The make-up had covered the lighter ones, but the dark one's were trickier. "And remind me to sit him really, really hard when he get's here...I can't believe he left bruises..." She mumbled.

Her mother laughed, glancing towards her. "Why, are you embarassed that he was so...kind as to leave you a reminder of that little tryst in the park?" She teased, having been the one who'd pointed them out to her daughter. "I wouldn't worry too much, Kagome. All of your friends have unboubtedly had a hicky or two.

The statement turned out to be more true than Kagome would ever admit. Her friends had caught sight of one of the larger ones near her breast and immediately inquired about it, causing the girl to flame up with a blush that would have rivaled Inuyasha's haori.

"So are you gonna tell us what happened!" Ayumi begged, urging the girl to gossip about the boy she'd last been seen with. "Is he a good kisser!"

Kagome shivered. "He's an amazing kisser..." She unconsiously touched her throat, as though she could still feel his lips there.

"Scale of one to ten?" Reika teased. She and Sayuri had gone to Ayumi to make amends, and had sworn not to try to hook Kagome up with Hojo anymore. Then, they'd apologized to Kagome for always trying to force her into the dates with the boy.

"Well..." Kagome pondered that for a long minute. "I'd probably give Hojo-kun a five for effort, he did kiss me once, but he wasn't...anywhere near as good as Inuyasha is...so I'd give him a..."

"Twelve?" Sayuri grinned at her. She could see the mild hickies that were along the girls neck and chest and felt a twinge of jealousy. "I'm jealous." She admitted. "All the boys I've kissed were lousy kissers. It was like they thought shoving their tongue into my mouth and slobbering all over my face and neck was kissing..." She shuddered, wincing. "Ick."

"All the ones I kissed were dry. It was like they were scared to kiss me for real..." Reika sympathized. "Were you his first kiss!" She asked eagerly.

"No..." She said. "But he was my first..." Kagome rested her hand over her heart. "It was a long time ago..." She closed her eyes, remembering how close he'd been to turning into a full demon permanently. And she'd run to him, completely trusting him, and pressed her lips firmly against his. A shiver ran down her back at the memory. Then, he changed back, and his lips pressed back against her's, kissing her back. A tiny smile turned up her lips. "He's gotten alot better since then..." She idly wondered if he'd been practicing with a certain undead priestess, and quickly banished the thought. No, Kikyou didn't think he was pure enough to kiss as a hanyou...she wanted him to become a human for her.

Her friends watched as she lost herself in thought, only to scramble to their seats when the teacher entered.

"Kids, it would appear Hojo-kun has decided to move to this class." He said, gesturing to the boy who walked in behind him. The boy fixed Kagome with a stare, but she didn't notice. She was too busy thinking about the boy in another time, who had puppy ears and soft lips and smiled at her with a sad longing.

"Higurashi, is the seat beside you open?"

"Um, no, it's Misaki Hoshi-san's." She answered, snapping out of her stupor. She breathed a sigh of relief when the teacher nodded. "Hojo-kun, take the seat beside Sayuri-san."

The boy scowled and walked down towards the back of the class, sitting a full three seats away from Kagome. Yet, he pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled a note on it, tossing it towards Kagome. It landed on her desk.

Kagome took it, opened it, read it, then crumbled it up, shaking her head. 'No, Hojo-kun, I'm not going on a date with you.' She ignored the other notes he tried to pass her, instead focussing on her classwork. That helped her forget that she now had to deal with Hojo-kun by herself, since Inuyasha was no longer there to help her.

When lunch rolled around, she was unable to escape the boy. He swaggered over, which made her roll her eyes in disgust and she glanced towards her friends to plead for help. They shrugged.

"Higurashi-san...can I have a word with you?" He asked, thinking that if he asked directly to her face, there was no way she could turn him down.

"No, Hojo-kun." She said firmly. "I'm eating my lunch."

"Then perhaps tonight, over dinner, we might talk?"

"I'm eating dinner at home with my family, Hojo-kun."

"Surely they wouldn't mind setting a place setting for one more person?"

Kagome was getting impatient. "Look, Hojo-kun, I don't like you. Not in the slightest remotely possible way, will I ever date you. I love Inuyasha." She said firmly.

Something caught the boy's eyes and he stared closer at her neck and chest. Small bruises, not the size of fingers, but similar to-"YOU SLUT!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. Several people nearby stopped eating their lunchest to stare at the mild-mannered boy in shock.

Kagome's jaw dropped in outrage. "Ex_cuse me?_" She asked, her face darkening. She noticed her friends scoot away from her. "You JERK! How dare you call me that! You don't even know the circumstances!"

"So why don't you tell me, Higurashi-san!" Hojo hissed, fisting his hand in her hair. He gave it a sharp jerk.

"Inuyasha is my fiancee..." She hissed, her face darkening. "So he has every right to kiss me whenever he likes..." She realized what she said and fought back a blush. 'I always knew what my decision would be...but...am I ready to be his mate? Will he agree to do this the human way, too?'

Hojo looked like she'd physically punched him. "F-fiancee...?" He whispered, staggering backwards. "B-but what about me, Higurashi-san...I thought...we had something nice going...I'm nice, aren't I...why would you..."

"You are nice, Hojo-kun, but I don't need a nice boy." She said softly. "Inuyasha is the kind of person I need." Slowly, her brain caught up with her mouth and her heart, and she thought about what she said. It was true. She did need Inuyasha. She needed his presence, his touch, and everything else he had to offer. "Now leave me alone..." She looked into her bowl of instant noodles and took a shuddering breath.

The argument had taken alot out of her. Her heart was throbbing, and she silently wished that Inuyasha had heard every word she'd just said. 'I need to see him...I need to be near him, maybe I should just go to him...but if what he said is true, then Kouga is probably hanging around the village waiting for me...'

Another thought hit her. 'What if Kouga attacked Inuyasha while he was sleeping, and he's hurt! I knew I should have asked him to come check in daily.' She bit her lip and she fiddled around with the styrofoam container. 'Please come back to me...' She begged, telegraphing her thought and praying he would hear her.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

'Finally...' Inuyasha stood, stretching, about to head towards the well. He caught Kouga looking at him and glared at the wolf. "Oi, Babaa, I'm going to check and see how Kagome's ankle is..." He said, looking towards the old woman. He glanced towards all of his other companions, all of whom knew the real reason he was leaving. He was going to see if Kagome had made her decision.

"I just had an idea, dog turd..." Kouga stood, stretching lazily. "If you don't show up this week, Kagome's going to come and find out what happened to you..."

The hanyou stiffened, standing by the door. 'That is something she would do, isn't it...but then this fucking wolf will claim her and she wouldn't get the choice...' He snorted, pushing the entrance to the hut away and stepping outside. He immediately began walking towards the well.

He wasn't surprised when Kouga headed after him, and began to pick a fight with him. The hanyou didn't raise a fist, focussing on making it to the well. He winced as Kouga struck him several times, and his claws slashed him, but he kept walking. He saw the well just as his vision was beginning to blur. He had to make it there. He grunted, propelling himself into a dead sprint, not caring that the wolf was running behind him. 'Just a bit farther...' The week was up. He was going to see Kagome again.

He smiled weakly, one of his hands touching the wood of the well just as his world began to go dark. He allowed himself to fall forward, and then the darkness overwhelmed him.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"Buyo?" Souta asked, wandering towards the wellhouse. It seemed that it had become the overweight cat's favorite place to hide. Now, usually, someone would come out of the wellhouse holding Buyo by the scruff, but this time, the cat had gone in...and no one had come out.

Souta hated the wellhouse. Every time he wound up in there, something either bad, or scary happened. Like when Kagome was first drug into the well, and then again when the noh mask attacked them. Needless to say, it was with a great deal of trepidation that the boy walked into the wellhouse. "Buyo...?"

"Nyao."

He didn't see the cat anywhere, but it's meow confirmed it was in the wellhouse...somewhere. "Buyo...where are you...?" He walked down the stairs and began searching under the raised floor.

"Nyao."

Souta froze. Buyo wasn't just in the wellhouse. He was INSIDE the well! Souta stood quickly, running over to the lip and freezing in horror.

Inuyasha lay in the bottom of the well, covered in blood, and laying in a slowly widening pool of it.

Souta ran to the shrine. "MOM! MOM! It's Inuyasha and he's HURT!"

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"Higurashi Kagome, Higurashi Kagome, please come to the main office. Higurashi Kagome, please come to the main office."

Kagome looked up from her book, her eyes wide with surprise. She glanced towards her teacher and the old woman nodded. She stood, and left the classroom, well aware that several students eyes were fastened upon her. She began walking down the hallway, fidding with the skirt of her uniform in fear. 'Why am I being called to the main office...maybe I failed too many tests and they're going to kick me out of school...maybe because I've missed so much school, they're recomending my expulsion...maybe they realize that grandpa's been lying all this time. Oh, crap, what's going to-" She pushed open the door to the main office and was met by a concerned looking woman.

"Miss Higurashi, I'm Mrs. Kamasaki..." She gestured towards one of the plush western seats. "I am afraid I have to be the bearer of bad news. I just recieved a call from your home, and it seems that your fiancee is severely injured." The woman said softly. "I have been requested to allow you to go home."

Kagome's heart lodged in her throat. "He's hurt!" She jumped to her feet. "I have to go see him!"

"I also should say it's my responsibility to call the police and hospital, to let them know, I'm sure they'll want to question-"

"NO." Kagome said firmly. "If I know him at all, this isn't something all the doctors or police in the world can help him with." She looked at the principal. "Please..."

Slowly the woman nodded. 'Odd, usually people demand it...'

"Can I go?"

Mrs. Kamasaki nodded. "Go ahead. You may take an escort, if you'd like."

Kagome nodded, then sprinted back to her class. Her mind was racing over a mile a minute. An escort it was, and Ayumi was the only option. The others were still very uncertain about her relationship with the boy, and Hojo openly disliked her since she turned down his advances. She reached her class and skidded to a stop. She went in, beginning to scoop up her books, then she looked at the teacher. "Ma'am, the principal said I could have an escort to walk home..."

"You don't look very sick." Her teacher commented.

"I'm not, my fiancee got hurt. I'm going to see him." She looked directly at Ayumi. "Ayumi-chan, could you walk with me?"

The girl blinked, nodding. "Sure, Kagome-chan..." She began collecting her books as well. When they were outside the classroom, Kagome grabbed her by the arm, dragging her out as fast as she could. "Mou, Kagome-chan...slow down!"

"I can't...Inuyasha's hurt..." She took a deep breath. "We have to hurry...I'm used to sewing him up, but I'm not used to doing it here..." She drug a hand through her hair.

"Sewing him up! Is he in a street gang?" Her friend whispered eagerly.

"No...no, nothing like that. He tends to get into alot of fights, and usually gets hurt pretty bad. No more questions, I'll explain the rest when we get to my home...I need your help!"

Ayumi shrugged, and they began to run to Kagome's home. This was undoubtedly going to be one of the strangest days she'd ever had.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

TBC

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_AN: Will Kagome be able to confess her feelings in the next chapter! Or am I going to leave Inuyasha hanging for a little while longer! (Lord knows he deserves it for how long he left HER hanging!) Anyways, thanks for all the reviews. Inuyasha's mind isn't delved into quite as much in this chapter, but wait till Kagome gives her response, and lays down some ground rules. Whoo Hoo! FUN! See ya'll next chapter, thanks minna-san!_


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: Many thanks to:__Althea Astera Renata,__ChineseKagome,__DatChicAnna,__Flame-sama,__Kagome lover,__Kalana Fox, __katana fighting princess,__Kato Shingetsu,__Kirara-higurashi,__Lady Storm,__lilpinkpookie,__MelissaRocks214, __Priestess Kohana,__sinirothX,__SlummyRedDragon,__storm05092002,__xAkix, dragon's kitty, katty-kat, Kirara-higurashi,loverofInuKagome, and RRED. You all made this chapter happen! Big smile and wave and glomps! I LOVE YOU ALL!_

_Coming of Age_

By: Demonsaya

oooooooooooooooooooooo

**3**

oooooooooooooooooooooo

'Supid mutt...can't even die properly...' Kouga growled, sitting beside the well, idly licking Inuyasha's blood off his claws. He always knew that hanyou's were useless. And since this one didn't even die so he could claim the girl as his mate infuriated the demon to no ends. "And now that useless mutt is over there in Kagome's world...where I can't go...probably marking and rutting with her as I speak...SHIT!" He slammed his fist into the ground in anger.

He felt himself growing more and more angry and dug deep trenches into the ground with his claws. 'If she mates with him...I'll kill her...If I can't have her, I sure as hell wont let him have her...'

He snarled, then paused, his anger lestening for a moment. "If that hanyou tells her who beat the shit out of him...she'll come here to yell at me...and I'll make her mine then..." He decided, with a grim smile. "The bitch is as good as mine."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

'Kagome...Kagome, where are you!' Inuyasha thrashed, feeling someone practically dragging him out of the well. "Kagome..." He rasped, opening his eyes. "Kagome..." She wasn't there. He'd made it through the well, he could tell because the girls little brother was looking over him his eyes filled with concern.

Something cool was pressed against his wounds and he hissed. He was still dressed in his haori and yukatta, he could tell because his blood caused them to stick painfully against the wounds. "Kagome..." He whimpered. He needed to see her.

"Just rest, Inuyasha...Kagome's on her way..."

He shifted pain-clouded eyes to the person who spoke. His mates mother. "Need...Kagome..." He rasped, grabbing her wrist in his hand. "Please..." He whimpered.

Souta looked at his mother, then ran up to Kagome's room. He dug around his sister's hamper, finding one of her school uniforms. 'This should work. I bet her scent is all over this...it should calm him down until she gets here!' He smiled at his brilliance, and ran downstairs, laying the uniform across his chest.

'Her scent...' Inuyasha inhaled her scent thirstily, like a man who'd been stranded in the desert for days. 'Kagome's scent...' A tiny smile flitted across his face and he allowed his eyes to fall closed and for himself to drift into unconsciousness.

Souta looked at his mother, his eyes wide in concern. "Mom...is he going to be okay?" He asked, eyes swimming. He'd never seen his hero so completely trashed, and it was scary to think that someone as strong as Inuyasha could get so hurt.

His mother reached over, gently patting his hand. "Don't worry, Souta. I'm sure he'll be fine, we just need to stop the bleeding, and wait for Kagome to return..." She looked at the hanyou and gently mopped his head with a wash cloth. Deep down, she hoped very much that she was right.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"Kagome...wait...up...!"

Kagome turned, looking towards her friend. She had her crutches in one hand and her books in the other. She didn't care so much about her ankle, if Inuyasha was hurt, then she needed him. She didn't have time to hobble home!

Ayumi looked at her friend, very strangely. "Are you sure your ankle's really hurt?" She teased.

"I don't have time to play around, Inuyasha could be dying!"

The other girl raised her hand. "Then hail a cab, stupid." She said, watching as one stopped in front of them. She watched her friend climb into the cab and climbed in behind her. "Sunset Shrine. Pronto."

The cabbie winked at them, and spun the car around, in a u-turn in the middle of traffic. "ROGER!" He shouted in English.

The girls clung to each other, terrified as the driver pealed through the streets. Kagome made a silent prayer that they made it home alive.

They did.

Kagome hobbled quickly up the steps and cried out in horror. There was a trail of blood from the wellhouse, all the way towards her home. "Inuyasha!" She cried, trying to hobble faster than she really could. She heard Ayumi hurrying behind her and chanced a glance at her friend.

"Kagome, we need to call a hospital..." She whispered. "This much blood loss, he's going to die!"

"NO." Kagome said firmly, kicking off her shoes quickly and going into the shrine. She set her crutch into a puddle of blood and cursed, feeling it slip. She managed to get a better hold on the ground and looked around. "Follow the blood, huh..." She muttered darkly. "When I find out who did this, I'm going to kill them..." She whispered, dropping her crutches and hopping up the stairs, not caring that the blood was soaking into her socks. She made it to the bathroom, where her mother, grandfather, and brother were frantically trying to get the bleeding stopped.

Ayumi followed her far more cautiously. A moment later, Kagome hopped towards her room, and began digging through an oversized camping bag. "Kagome?"

"Just give me a second!" She snapped. She found the book she was looking for and opened it, digging out the necessary herbs. "Mama can do this..." She muttered, then hopped back to the bathroom. "Mama, I need you to make this! Just follow the instructions, it's really easy." She handed the book and herbs to her mother. "Souta, I need you to bring me some bottles of water, I've got to keep him hydrated-"

"KAGOME!" Ayumi finally yelled.

"What?" Kagome looked at her.

"He's lost too much blood! He's going to die!"

Kagome snorted. "Inuyasha die?" She began to laugh. "He's a half-demon, Ayumi-chan. He's been healing since he stopped moving." She said, reaching down, and beginning to strip Inuyasha's top half. His haori and yukatta were covered in blood. His hakama weren't much better off. She sat him up and glanced towards her friend. "Look at the ears, Ayumi. He's not like us, trust me. I've seen him live through worse than this..."

Ayumi nodded stiffly, moving into the room. "B-but...how is this..."

"I'll tell you later...here!" She shoved the hanyou's clothes to her grandfather. "These need to get to the wash." She said evenly.

The girl watched her friend flit quickly over the boy and a nasty realization hit her. "You never really get sick, do you..."

Kagome shook her head. "No time to explain. I need you to bring me that first aid kit behind you." She pointed, nodding in approval when the girl complied, albeit stiffly. "Inuyasha...hang on..." A deep breath whooshed out of her as she grabbed the kit and popped it open.

Souta came in a moment later, carrying the bottles of water. He uncapped one, carefully lifting the hanyou's head and poured the water over his lips.

The unconscious boy coughed, sputtered, and then began to swallow the water reflexively.

Kagome nodded in approval, leaning over to whisper to the hanyou. "That's right, Inuyasha, you need to drink...don't worry, I'm here, I'll take care of you..." She caressed his hair, then looked at Ayumi. "Pass me the washcloth behind you and the alcohol.

The girl nodded, focussing on the task, and gave her friend a brief glance. Kagome wore a serious expression on her face, if not a completely determined one. "He's really a half-demon?" She asked, watching as Kagome began to clean off the wounds. They looked very thing, yet rather deep, and almost as soon as Kagome cleaned off one, it began to pour blood again.

"Hold him down. I'm going to have to clean the wounds, and maybe stitch them shut to stop the bleeding..." She hated this part. Alcohol burned like crazy, and Inuyasha, in the state he was in, might hurt someone if he wasn't sufficiently pinned to the floor. Souta firmly grabbed one hand, while Ayumi grabbed the other, and Kagome straddled his waist, while soaking the rag with the cleaning solution. She closed her eyes, and rested it on the first wound. 'I'm sorry.' She pressed down, and Inuyasha responded violently, as predicted.

He hissed, growling and spitting, thrashing against those that held him down. The burning died down in those wounds, and then there it was again, causing him to cry out in pain. 'Hurts...' He mentally whimpered. 'Stop...stop...it hurts...'

By the time she'd finished cleaning the wounds, Inuyasha had worn himself down a good bit, and had just lay there, whimpering softly. Her mother came in a short time later, and looked down at the hanyou in concern. "Kagome-chan, is he alright?"

"I think his wounds are closing...the bleeding's almost stopped...Do you have the poultice?" She asked, looking at her mother, who passed her a large square of linen. Gently, Kagome rested it against his chest, and taped it into place. "Help me sit him up, so I can wrap it..." She saw her mother nod, and she climbed off his lap, beginning to bandage the wounds tightly. He whimpered softly under her ministrations, and a moment later, stiffened, then went limp. Kagome wiped some sweat from her forehead and closed her eyes, embracing the boy gently. "Move him to my room, okay?" She asked, looking at her mother for permission.

The woman nodded. "He should be kept comfortable." She said softly. "Ayumi, Grandpa, if you'd help me?"

They both nodded, and carefully carried the unconscious hanyou from the room.

Kagome sat in the blood covered bathroom, and sank backwards, sitting down on the floor, leaning back against the shower wall. "All this blood is going to be difficult to clean up later..." She murmured. Not just off the room, but off her as well...

Souta nodded in agreement, then he crept over, hugging his sister tightly. "I was scared, Kagome-nee-chan..." He whispered. "I thought Inu-no-niichan was going to die!" His eyes teared up and he looked up at his sister. He trembled, and when his sister embraced him, he broke down. "He was so cold...and still...so much blood...I was so scared!"

Kagome gently stroked her brother's hair. "It's okay, Souta...Inuyasha's fine. He's really strong, remember?" She smiled at him, her eyes twinkling. "We have to have faith in him."

A moment later, Ayumi appeared in the doorway. "Kagome, you asked me to come along, and now I'm part of this. I want to know the truth about this. Now."

Kagome took a deep breath, then looked at Souta. "Souta, go on, Ayumi-chan and I'll clean up..." She shooed her brother from the room and found two yukatta folded in a cabinet that weren't blood soaked. "It's a long story, Ayumi-chan. I met Inuyasha on my fifteenth birthday." She glanced towards her friend.

"I thought all demons were dead. I thought they died at the end of the feudal era..."

"They did, as far as we know, but lately I've begun doubting this. Even back then, unless you were a priestess or a monk, it could be really difficult to tell if that beautiful person you're looking at is human or demon."

"Back...then...?"

Kagome laughed lightly. "That's right, I haven't told you about that part. Okay, Souta was looking in the wellhouse for Buyo, our cat. Grandpa always made very certain that we DIDN'T play in it as children, he always said it was unsafe. Well, I went inside, because Souta was scared-"

"WAS NOT!" Souta said, passing the room with a mop.

Kagome closed the door. She picked up the spray nozzle and began hosing down the tile room. "When I reached the bottom, I noticed something funny about the well. A moment later, a centipede demon exploded out of it, and pulled me in...and I went back in time five hundred years."

Ayumi looked at her, startled. "W-what!"

"That was where I first saw Inuyasha..." She said softly, spraying the blood down the center drain. "He was pinned to Goshinboku with an arrow to the chest..." She blushed, smiling. "It was odd, I didn't even worry that he was wearing strange clothing, or that he had white hair. I just walked straight up to him and started playing with his ears." She giggled.

Ayumi smiled dreamily. "They are awfully cute...do you think he'd mind terribly if I asked if I could?"

Kagome laughed. "He really doesn't like having his ears played with..." She became very serious suddenly, looking longingly towards the bath. "We should get cleaned up." She said.

The other girl nodded in agreement. "I feel genuinely icky. Can you continue the story, though?"

Kagome nodded, starting a bath for herself. "Naturally." She said, sinking into the warm water while Ayumi climbed into the shower. She told about the battle against the centipede demon, then the crow, and the shattering of the jewel. When she got to the point where she mentioned Inuyasha's brother, she heard a dreamy sigh from the shower.

"Is he incredibly hot, too?" Ayumi asked, trying to imagine what Inuyasha's brother would look like, would he be more rugged, or pretty?

Kagome choked. 'Sesshoumaru? Hot?' She shook her head. "I don't know if I'd call him hot, he's very beautiful. When I first saw him, I kinda thought he was Inuyasha's sister..." She giggled softly. "He's got white hair and gold eyes, like Inuyasha...probably six inches or so taller..." She shook her head again. "He and Inuyasha don't get along very well..."

"Ah, pity..."

Kagome chuckled, and continued on with her story. When they were clean, they dried off, and wrapped themselves in the yukatta's, walking towards Kagome's room. Kagome was tired. "Ne, Ayumi, I'm sleepy, okay? If you want, I'm sure mom wont mind if you sleep in the living room..."

"Where will you sleep?"

Kagome smiled sadly, looking at Inuyasha. "I'll stay where I'm needed most. I'll finish the story in the morning." When Ayumi nodded, Kagome smiled, relieved. "Maybe Inuyasha'll be awake then, too, and he can help me..."

The girl nodded, and plodded down the now clean hallway.

Kagome walked into her room, closing the door behind her. Inuyasha lay on the bed, his face very pale. Tears filled her eyes and she walked towards him. "Inuyasha..." She whispered, sitting on the bed beside him. She brushed his hair from his face, cupping it between her hands. "Please, please, open your eyes...I need to see them..." She ran her fingertips across his face, tracing his cheekbones, brow, down to his chin.

He moaned softly, and his eyes opened a bit. "Kagome...?" He whispered softly.

She smiled, and a soft sob escaped her. "Inuyasha!" She whispered, carefully wrapping her arms around his chest. She wouldn't admit it to her brother, but when she'd come up the shrine stairs and saw the blood everywhere, it had terrified her. She pressed her face against his shoulder, beginning to cry. "I thought...I thought I'd lost you..." She whispered, lifting her face to look at him.

He snorted, lightly thumping her nose with a knuckle. "I thought you knew me better than that..." He said, giving her a cocky grin, before it twisted into a grimace. "Fucking wolf..." He muttered, looking down at his chest, which was now covered in bandages.

Kagome paled, then her face darkened with anger. "Kouga did this?" She asked, her eyes narrowing. She began to stand, and he grunted, grabbing her wrist.

"No, Kagome, if you go, you're playing right into his hands..." He rasped, his face urgent. "He was trying to keep me from coming to you so you'd go there...where he could..."

Her eyes widened. "Then you were right...He's in his, too..." Kagome looked down, her eyes saddening. "I was always afraid this might happen...He was my friend, you know?" She sat beside him again, and leaned into him as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

He rested his head against her's, closing his eyes. "I know, Kagome...just...stay...need...sleep..."

Kagome snuggled closer to the hanyou, resting against his chest. "I'm so happy you're alright..." She whispered, closing her eyes as well, and following her hanyou to sleep.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"Why...isn't...she...here...yet!" Kouga snarled, ripping holes into the ground. "Her stupid ass should have shown up hours ago!" He glared at the well from his hiding place among the trees, waiting for his mate to arrive so he could make her...well...his mate.

Miroku watched the wolf demon vent from his vantage point deeper in the forest. Beside him was the Taijiya, who was glaring darkly at the wolf-demon. Both of them had a brief opportunity to speak alone with Inuyasha, and found out Kouga's rituals towards mating, none of which involved asking permission. "What do you think it'd take to get him away from there?" Miroku asked the young woman beside him.

"Dunno." Sango, looked towards him, an evil glint in her eyes. "What did you have in mind?" A moment after she asked, she realized that this WAS Miroku, the lech, and it was probably going to be something horribly perverse.

He leaned over and whispered into her ear. "Well, if we went out there, pretending that we were going to make love, then I'm pretty sure he'd either interrupt of have the decency to leave. I'm not saying we actually have to do anything, but...lightly hinting at it should be fine."

She turned bright red. "How do you suggest we do that!" She hissed, glaring at the houshi.

He blinked. "Well, just loosen your yukatta and run out there." He shrugged, not thinking she'd do it.

Evidentely today was a day for surprises, because she loosed the neck of her yukatta and kicked off one of her sandles. "Just remember..." She growled at him. "I'm just doing this for Kagome-chan."

He stared at her in shock as she ran, giggling towards the clearing. He said a quick thank you to Amida Buddah, and took off after her.

Kouga watched the two humans run into the clearing, and his face darkened, especially when the male called Miroku grabbed the demon huntress around the waist and drug her hips to his. "Ugh." He whispered in disgust. 'Humans about to fornicate...how disgusting!' He shuddered, and decided he could return when he caught Kagome's scent again.

Miroku turned so he could see Kouga over Sango's shoulder, and lowered his lips to her neck, pressing soft kisses along it. He kept his eyes trained on the wolf demon until he watched him disappear into the trees. He sighed, removing his lips from Sango's sweet skin, and resting his head against her shoulder. "He's gone. It should be safe for a little while if Kagome comes back."

Sango blushed, shoving the priest away as hard as she could. She straightened her yukatta and turned away from him, refusing to admit to herself just how much she'd enjoyed the feel of his lips against her neck. "Good." 'Stupid, STUPID! I wonder if this is how Kagome felt that time when we played that wicked little trick on Miroku and Inuyasha...'

He saw her standing stiffly in front of him and his eyes softened. He walked two steps towards her, and wrapped his arms around her gently. Without a word, he leaned forward, lightly kissing Sango on the cheek. "Do not be angry, Sango-sama." He said softly.

"Get your damn perverted hands off of me!" She snapped, shoving him away from her. 'It was just to chase that stupid wolf away. I don't like that pervert! I did NOT enjoy what he was doing to my neck I-'

Miroku grabbed her wrist as she tried to walk away from him, and pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips against hers. He felt her entire body go limp against him and he sighed, pulling back a bit and giving her a small smile.

She stared up at him, wide-eyed. Then, she saw the smile on his face and her face darkened in anger. "You...JERK!" She shoved him away as hard as she could, and punched him.

"S-sango-sama!"

She didn't say a word, she just turned on her heal and ran back towards the village.

Miroku watched her go with a dejected expression on his face. Yet, even as she ran, he couldn't get his eyes off of her hips. 'Child-bearing hips...what I wouldn't give for my little fantasy to become a reality.' He snorted, leaning against his staff. "I really am a jerk..." He muttered, glaring at the ground.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Birds chirping...

Gentle wind caressing his bare chest...

'Where am I?' Inuyasha wondered, keeping his eyes closed.

There was a slight weight on his shoulder, and something slung carelessly across his waist. It felt like fingers were gently rubbing the base of his ears. He purred softly, turning his nose towards the person who was invoking such wonderful things in him. He burried his nose into her hair and sighed. "Kagome..." He whispered softly.

The girl opened her eyes, looking up at his face. He looked so peaceful, so relaxed. She smiled, snuggling a bit closer. "Good morning..." She said, kissing his cheek lightly. It was, by far, the best nights sleep she'd had in a long time. His eyes remained closed for a few more minutes before the bright gold eyes opened, looking down at her.

He flashed her a careless smile, and brushed some hair from her face. "'Morning." He agreed, touseling her hair lightly. He glanced down at his chest, looking at the bandages. He recognized the scent of the poultice as one Kaede would make and arched an eyebrow, running his hands over the bandages. "You?" He asked softly.

Kagome blushed, nodding. "But everyone helped. Even Ayumi-chan..."

"Your friend? How did you explain my ears?" He asked lazily, feeling her hand still gently massaging his left one.

She smiled. "I told her the truth. She took it easier than you'd think." She rested her head back against his shoulder. "I haven't finished telling her...I think I'd just gotten to the part where Kikyou came back..."

He glanced over at her. "Can't we let it sit at that? I don't like how those memories make you feel..." He saw a thoughtful look on her face and made a move to sit up, and instantly decided that was a bad idea. "Shit...stupid fucking wolf...can you believe this still hurts!"

She laughed lightly. "You're lucky you're a hanyou! If you'd been human, you'd be dead!" The thought made her shiver. With that, she turned towards him fully, burying her face into his chest. "I was so worried!"

He gave her a funny look. "You didn't really think I'd die on you, did ya?"

She gave him a serious look. "Inuyasha, when I got here, you were bleeding, it took us well over three hours to get the bleeding to slow, much less stop!" She punched him lightly on the shoulder. "I was scared for you!"

His face softened and he gently caressed her face. "You should know I'm never going to leave you..." He said, then gave her a quick thump on the nose. "So, what's for breakfast. Smells like your mom's cookin' something." He stretched, wincing a bit, and moving a hand to his ribs. 'Damn wolf...'

Kagome laughed lightly, standing. "I'll go find out..."

He caught her wrist. "Kagome..." He said, stopping her. "When will you give me my answer? I know I said I'd give you time...but-"

She smiled, leaning forward, kissing his nose lightly. "Don't worry, Inuyasha, as soon as we're both all better, you'll get your answer." She said, testing her ankle. "See, one week and I can already put some weight on it!" She smiled brightly. "Unfortunately, the other's sore because of the amount of hopping I did yesterday!"

He laughed softly, his eyes moving towards the spot on her neck where he would later mark her. "Have I told you today how much I want you?"

"Not yet." She said, smiling faintly, then she left the room, limping carefully away.

Inuyasha fell back against her pillows, noting that there was a distinct throbbing in his pelvic region and groaned softly, wondering how long that had been there, and praying that Kagome hadn't noticed. He glanced down at it, and held his breath, as he usually did in this situation. About a minute later, the erection softened and he breathed again. "Damn..." He muttered, scowling.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome wandered from the room and down the stairs. In the living room, Ayumi and Souta were having an all out game system war, battling each other at, unless Kagome was drastically mistaking, Tekken 5. She rolled her eyes, and moved into the kitchen with a stretch. "Mama, whatchamakin?"

"Ah, ohayo, Kagome-chan!" Her mother flitted around the table, and pressed a kiss against either of Kagome's cheeks. "How fairs our sweet prince." She saw the expression of disgust her daughter's face twisted into and laught.

"Who are you and what have you done with my mother?" She glanced towards the skillet and saw pancakes and bacon and her stomach growled loudly.

Her mother giggled softly, glancing back at her daughter. "I AM your mother." The woman flipped the pancake on the skillet and glanced towards her daughter again. "How is he?"

Kagome sit down at the table and rubbed her neck. It was a little stiff from sleeping in a seated position last night. "He woke up for a little while last night, and he was conscious this morning, I think his wounds should be closed by lunch." She was pretty good at guestimating when Inuyasha's wounds would be healed because after three years of watching him get practically ripped apart, only to ment within a few days, or at most...a week.

If Inuyasha was anything, he was certainly resiliant.

"Have you made your decision?" Her mother gave her daughter a worried glance.

Kagome fiddled with a box of tea on the table. "I think so...I'm just not sure if I'm ready for this 'mate' stuff...It's strange you know. None of this has gone the way I hoped it would." She glanced at her mother and sighed. "I always thought it would be...more romantic, not quite so spur of the moment..."

"Well, sweety, guys aren't known to be particularly romantic." Her mother smiled, winking. "Your dad didn't have a romantic bone in his body!"

Kagome giggled. "He always seemed very sweet to you!"

"He was. But that doesn't mean he was romantic." She giggled, shaking her head. She tilted her head to the side, listening carefully. "Sounds like someone's in the bath, and considering Souta and Ayumi are both playing video games and Grandpa went to pray earlier, that leaves Inuyasha. You should find him a towel and a change of clothes."

Kagome nodded, standing. "Okay, I'll be right back." She wandered up the stairs and dug around the hall closet, finding the old trunk of her father's clothes and a spare towel. She found a nice dark blue yukatta and then a change of clothes for later, finding to her immense pleasure the black linen shirt and blue jeans he'd worn last time. She smiled, pulling them out as well. She'd put these in a safe place.

She stopped briefly in her room, dropping the change of clothes on the bed and stashing the clothes he'd worn on their first date in her dresser. She changed from the yukatta she'd been wearing since the night before into jeans and a t-shirt. With a sigh, she moved towards the bathroom, where she lightly tapped on the door.

She could hear the water running, and a strange sound that was caught between a grunt, a pant, and a moan. Curiously, she pushed open the door a bit and stepped into the steamy room. It didn't take her long to locate Inuyasha. He was in the tub, his head thrown back, his eyes closed in a grimace, and his hands in the tub with him.

Her eyes flew wide when she realized what he was doing and she turned a shade of red that is only known as 'true red'. Her jaw gaped and she backed up till she hit the wall of the bathroom. 'Ohmigod!' She mentally shrieked. 'He's...he's doing...THAT!' She couldn't even bring herself to think the word. She knew she should look away, but...she couldn't. She didn't know why, but she couldn't tear her eyes away.

'Great! Just great! Now _I'm _being a pervert! But I'm not a pervert! I'm NOT! Then WHY THE HELL AM I STILL WATCHING!' Heat was pooling in her belly and it didn't take a genius to figure out that she was getting turned on by watching Inuyasha...doing that.

She didn't know how long she watched him, but suddenly, his entire body went rigid and he let out a strangled cry that sounded suspiciously like her name. Then, a few seconds later, he went limp, his head lolling to the side, his eyes still closed. 'Was he...thinking of me when he did that? I should be upset...but I think I'm kinda flattered...' She blushed, finally approaching him tentatively. "I...Inuyasha...?"

His eyes snapped open and he fixed his gaze upon her. "Kagome..." He breathed, idly wondering if this was still his fantasy, or if that really was Kagome standing there blushing.

"M-mom told me to get you a towel...and there's a change of clothes for you in my room..."

'She's stuttering...does that mean...holy shit, did she see me!' He sat up, trying to hide himself from her view. "Th-thanks...I'll be down in a second..."

She set the towel and yukatta down on a stool, and began walking towards the door.

"Kagome..." He called, blushing clear down to his chest. He hoped she couldn't see it. "Were you watching me?" He asked softly.

She blushed darkly. "N-no..." She lied. Lied through her teeth.

He sniffed the air, realizing she was lying. "Oh..." He looked away, smiling a bit. 'Let her think I don't know...' He mentally nodded.

"Inuyasha..." She realized she couldn't ask without giving herself away. 'Dammit! I don't want him to think I'm a pervert...'

"Yeah?"

"Did you...did you think of me?" She asked, playing with the hem of her shirt.

His face softened and he looked back at her. Her back was to him, her head was lowered, and she seemed to be shuffling her feet shyly. He tightened his hand into a fist. "Yes." He whispered softly.

She went rigid, looking back at him. She'd expected him to deny it. She saw the gentle look on his face and turned bright red. "O...Oh..." She jerked the door open and fled down to the living room, where she collapsed onto the couch, trying to get rid of the blush that was painted to her cheeks. 'How in gods name am I going to look him in the face again!' She screamed mentally, fisting her hands into her bangs to shield her face from the brother that was looking at her with distinct interest.

"Kagome-nee-chan, you're awfully red..."

Inuyasha picked that particular moment to walk into the room, looking like nothing had happened at all. The jerk.

Kagome's blushed darkened and she stood abruptly, aware of his eyes following her as she stormed into the kitchen. "Mama, remind me to NEVER walk in on Inuyasha in the bath again!" She hissed, sitting down at the table and burying her face in her hands. She couldn't remember feeling so awkward or embarassed in her life.

She heard Ayumi grilling Inuyasha for details of their life in Sengoku Jidai and grinned a bit. "I'm glad she's asking HIM." She muttered. "We'd gotten right to the part where Kikyou'd come back, and I really didn't-"

The door opened and Inuyasha strolled in, leaning over and pressing a kiss against Kagome's cheek. "Hi." He said, sitting next to her.

"MOU! Kagome! PLEASE finish the story! What happened after you found out Inuyasha became human once a month!" Ayumi came in a moment later, placing herself across from them both.

The ice officially shattered, Kagome glanced towards Inuyasha, who rolled his eyes. "Ne, Ayumi-chan, I told you how I met Inuyasha, can we drop it?" She asked, begging her friend to agree.

"But you didn't tell me how you two wound up a COUPLE!" Ayumi's eyes went all dewy. "And last week when you said he was your fiancee-"

Inuyasha choked on the tea Kagome's mother had given him and looked at Kagome with an arched eyebrow. "Wow, we're already engaged and you haven't even told me if you'll be my mate yet?" He whispered in her ear, teasingly.

She turned scarlet. "INUYASHA!" She hissed. "I can't just run around spouting stuff about mating in this time! When a boy asks a girl to marry him, they're engaged! Besides-"

He leaned over, kissing her cheek lightly, which effectively silenced her. "Shut up, bitch..." He whispered, affectionately in her ear. He allowed his tongue to snake out and he flicked her earlobe with it lightly.

Kagome turned scarlet.

Her mother turned around, a stack of pancakes on a plate and set them on the table. "Now you two, no flirting in front of Souta. He doesn't need to know that stuff yet..."

"MOM, I'm 13 for pete's sake..." Souta said, joining them at the table.

"Alas, they grow up so quickly!"

"Kagome! Tell meeeee!" Ayumi whined.

"NO!" Kagome snapped.

Needless to say, breakfast was lively. Inuyasha, of course, loved the pancakes, deciding that they were his next favorite food after ramen, which for him was saying alot. He saved her from a great deal of embarassment by stearing Ayumi's story away from the mating part, and telling about a few of his more spectacular fights, one of which of course included the battle with his brother Sesshoumaru, when the full demon had punched a hole through his stomach.

Kagome noticed that Inuyasha was also avoiding the topic of the 'girl he was two-timing with', and she was relieved about that. She'd already mentioned that she was the reincarnation of the priestess who'd sealed him, she didn't think Ayumi would be able to handle it if she found out the dead priestess had been revived and Inuyasha was...to put it simply, cheating on Kagome with the evil part of her soul.

"Come on, I know you two are leaving stuff out!" Ayumi objected.

Kagome looked at the table. "Ayumi-chan, some things are better left unsaid..." She smiled, her eyes closing, begging her friend to understand. 'Like me not telling Inuyasha that I love him, even though he's asked me to be his mate.' She fiddled with her fingers, and frowned softly, lifting her gaze to her mother. "Mama, can we go shopping today?"

"Sure, sweetheart. Ayumi-chan can come along, too." She saw the other girl bouncing cheerfully and smiled. "It's been awhile since I've gotten to go on a girl's day out..."

Inuyasha froze. "Girl's day out?"

"That's right, Inuyasha, you and Souta and Grandpa have to stay here." She said firmly, smiling. "It gives us girls an opportunity to gossip without puppy ears listening in..."

He pouted, scowling.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. Her mother had gotten her mental message. "Maybe we should get Inuyasha's measurements so we can get him some clothing for when he's here." She saw the mild embarassment on his face and smiled. "Maybe you can make him a yukatta for summer festival, too!" She smiled at her mother brightly.

"We'll see, baby." Her mother nodded. "That said, I think getting him his own clothing is an excellent idea. Come along, Inuyasha..."

The hanyou looked at Kagome as her mother walked past and grabbed him by the ear, dragging him away. He whimpered softly. "NO FAIR! Hey! Hey, that hurts!"

oooooooooooooooooooooo

About an hour of Inuyasha's bitching and moaning later, the three girls escaped down to the street, to go shopping for Kagome's favorite hanyou, each of them giggling and gossiping. "So, what was it that Inuyasha did that embarassed you so much?" Her mother asked, looking at her daughter and arching an eyebrow. Knowing the hanyou, it could have been anything, after all, he wasn't known to be the most modest person.

Kagome blushed again, shaking her head. "Um, I walked in on him..."

"Is that aaaaall?" Ayumi teased, arching an eyebrow.

Kagome blushed darker. "He was...playing with himself..." She muttered, angry with them for being so perceptive. "He didn't even realize I was in there..."

"Oh, he was masturbating?" Her mother glanced towards her, tilting her head to the side. "That's nothing to be embarassed about, dear." She said, smiling cheerfully. "It just means he has a perfectly normal male sex drive."

Kagome stared at her mother and wished she could sink into the sidewalk. "MOM, could we PLEASE not talk about this!"

Both of them laughed at her. "Kagome, dear..." Her mother gently ruffled her hair. "It's perfectly natural for him to do that, and it's equally as natural for you to be curious about the male body, you're eighteen, and he's a mature young male."

She ground her teeth together. "Mama...please...? Can't we just drop the subject?" She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I need to ask you if I can buy something...special for Inuyasha..."

"What were you planning on buying?"

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Inuyasha paced the floor in irritation, waiting for the girls to return. "What's TAKING them so long!" He snapped, looking towards Souta, who was still engrossed in his video game.

"Just relax, Inu-no-niichan. They'll be back soon. I learned a LONG time ago that shopping is just an excuse to get away from the boys." Souta threw down his controller with a curse, when he died AGAIN.

The boy's words did nothing to pacify the hanyou. "They've been gone for three HOURS..." 'Get away from me! That's it, Kagome has to spend the entire time from when they get back until we all go to bed with ME!'

"And they'll probably get lunch out, and be gone for another three." Souta glanced towards the hanyou matter-of-factly. "Besides, at least you know they're going to bring something home for you. Kagome only buys stuff for me on my birthday, or on boy's day."

"Boy's day?" Inuyasha asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Yeah, Tango-no-sekku. May 5th."

Inuyasha made an 'ah' face. "Now, Tango-no-sekku I know..." He didn't know what the strange language the boy had used before, or what 'May 5th' was for that matter, but he understood Tango-no-sekku. "We celebrate that too..."

The boy grinned. "Sorry, sometimes, random Engrish comes out. It's nee-chan's fault."

"Engrish?"

"Yeah." Souta grabbed a piece of paper. "It's really called English, for England, the native country it's spoken in..." He wrote 'Boisu dai' in hiragana and showed it to Inuyasha. "See, this is what it would look like phonetically in Japanese."

Inuyasha sat down, and stared at it. "Really? Can you teach me some other stuff? It'd be nice to know what Kagome was saying all the time...she uses...Engrish?" At Souta's affirmative nod, he continued. "She uses it alot..."

Souta nodded. "Sure, why not, what do you want to know?"

"Let's start with..."

The next several hours flew by, and when Kagome and her mother returned, Inuyasha and the boy were sitting on the couch, with pieces of paper strewn around the room. Kagome picked one up and tilted her head to the side. It had hirigana phonetics, where really there should be katakana. She tilted her head to the side and held her mother back from walking fully into the room. "Shhh..."

"How about Eelektrisity?"

"Oh, that's..." He wrote the kanji down, then spelled it out phonetically.

Kagome blinked, looking at the pair in shock. Souta was teaching Inuyasha what she was saying, and what it meant. Her eyes softened and she smiled. She walked towards the pair and leaned over the shoulder, smiling. "Ne, Souta, your 'u' looks like a 'ri'." She teased, ruffling her brother's hair.

Inuyasha saw her face lean between his and the other boys and blushed faintly. "Kagome, you're back already?"

She pouted, listening to her mother move up to her room with the bags. "Yep. So you need to come upstairs and try on some stuff we bought you." She smiled brightly, holding one gift for him loose in her pocket. "Sorry, Souta, you'll have to release your hero from your grasp for a little while." She teased, giving Inuyasha's ear a gentle flick. Then she moved towards the steps.

She heard Inuyasha mutter something about a 'bitch', and how she had interrupted his 'lesson'. She rolled her eyes dramatically and glanced back towards him. "Well, Inuyasha, if you really want to go finish your 'lesson', then I guess I'll just have to go out by myself tonight." She said, smiling faintly.

"No you are NOT!" He snapped, storming up behind her, grabbing her around the waist and throwing her over his shoulder. She squealed, beating lightly on his back and laughing the whole time, so he knew she wouldn't sit him. He waited till her mother cleared out of Kagome's room and walked in, dumping her on the bed. "There, wench, I'm here. What's this stuff I need to 'try on'?"

She dug through a bag, pulling out a black silk shirt and some black slacks. When she looked up, she turned bright red as he was sky-clad and wearing naught but his birthday suit. She dug deeper into the bag and found underwear, which she tossed at him. "Put those on, please?" She said, blushing dark red.

He arched an eyebrow, looking at the cover. "What the hell are these?"

"Underwear!" She hissed, blushing dark red. "You wear those so you don't zip your privates to your pants!"

He winced at the idea, remembering almost catching his special manly place (As he thought of it), in the zipper of the jeans he'd worn last time. He frowned, opening the pack of 'underwear' and pulled a pair on. They were tight, which he didn't particularly care for, but they stretched, and were reasonably comfortable. "Okay, now what?"

She was digging through the bags again and glanced up only briefly. "Um, try on the slacks." She handed them to him, blushing darkly again. 'It took me hours to iron out all the details with mom for tonight...I can't really believe I'm going to do this! I get embarassed just by looking at him naked, and after I answer...'

"Okay."

She looked up and she blushed for an entirely different reason. Inuyasha stood there, his pants on, with nothing what so ever covering his chest. Her heart pounded in her chest and warmth pooled in her stomach for the second time that day. 'So...hot...my god, he looks like a damn pinup!'

Inuyasha examined Kagome's face closely when she looked at him again. A careful sniff made him blush and he arched an eyebrow, pouting. "What?" He asked, even though he knew damn well what. 'Shit...all of a sudden, she smells like she's in heat! DAMNIT! Maybe I shouldn't stay around her all night...'

"N-nothing..." She handed him the shirt, and watched as he pulled it on. He was about to button it up and she dove on the chance for some physical contact with him. "Can I?" She asked, standing and walking towards him deliberately. She saw his eyes widen and took his shirt in her hands.

He bit his lower lip as her hands slid from one button to the next, reaching about the third button from the top where her hands lightly fanned out across his chest. "Kagome..." He breathed, catching her hands before they could move anywhere else. He searched her eyes closely, putting the question in his eyes. When she nodded slowly, he leaned forward, capturing her lips with his. 'Soft...sweet, too...' He smiled against her mouth, considering parting her lips with his tongue, but she was already pulling away from him. He whined softly in protest.

Kagome giggled softly, pulling away fully. "Tuck in your shirt, silly." She said, digging through another bag and pulling out a belt. When his shirt was tucked in, she slid the belt through the first loop, cautiously meeting his eyes. He was looking down at her, a nervous expression on his face and she began to gently loop the belt around his waist. briefly, her arms went around him to pass the belt from one hand to the other. When she reached the front, she latched the belt, finishing it off, and glanced up at him again.

He gave her a shaky smile, taking her hand and kissing the back of it gently. He stepped back and turned for her. "Do I look acceptable, my lady?" He teased.

She smiled. "You look wonderful, Inuyasha...but then again, you always do..." She blushed faintly, then bit her lip. "Could you wait outside, I want to change really quick, okay?"

"What for? You look fine like you are." He reached out and touched her face lightly.

She smiled and took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You'll forget what I'm wearing now when you see me later. Just give me an hour, okay?" She gave him dewy eyes and he melted.

"Okay...I'll just go downstairs and finish my lesson..."

She nodded, waiting until he was gone. With a sigh, she collapsed onto her bed, fishing the gift out of her pocket and setting it on the bed. She stared at it for a long minute and began to change. She fished through the rest of the bags, finding the dress she'd bought specifically for this evening, and laid it out as well, beginning to undress. She turned towards the mirror, examining herself closely. She opened her desk drawer, pulling out a compact and some eye make-up and lip gloss.

She applied them quickly and contemplated her hair, finally pulling it up into a french twist, pinning it carefully into place. A few wisps hung down around her neck and she decided not to pin those up as well. It would give Inuyasha a few strands to play with. She blushed at the thought and moved towards her dress, picking it up and putting it on. She glanced at the mirror and picked up her present, looking at it as she held it between her two fingers. "Here goes nothing..."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"Can't I just wear the hat!" Inuyasha complained as Kagome's mother drug the brush through his rather matted hair.

"No, Inuyasha. It would spoil the look, don't worry, this'll be over soon."

"OW! Can't you be a little more gentle!"

Souta watched his mother hide Inuyasha's ears with pins and then she brushed his hair back over them, pulling half of it into a loose ponytail about half-way down his head. The entire time the hanyou was cursing and spitting in irritation.

When it was all over, Inuyasha's ears were sufficiently hidden, and he still looked like he belonged on the front of one of Kagome's shojo manga.

"Is everything down here okay?"

Everyone in the room turned towards Kagome, who was the speaker and both males in the room's jaw dropped. Souta was the first to recover. "Go sis..." He muttered, standing and letting his mother lead him from the room.

The dress was made out of midnight blue silk, cutting wickedly low in the front, showing off a good bit of her cleavage. It hugged her body down to her hips, where it flared a bit. She did a full turn, displaying that the thing was almost backless, and it was held by two tiny scraps of fabric. Her hair was twisted up, but some of the more disobediant strands had fallen free, which just made her look even more wickedly fetching.

Inuyasha felt all of the blood in his body rush to the part of him that made him a man and he stepped closer to her, holding his breath, trying to get the blood flowing to the rest of his body. It was working...mostly. "Kagome...you look...wow..." He shook his head, trying to get the cobwebs out.

"Then you approve?" She watched as he nodded mutely, his eyes as big as saucers. She smiled happily. "Good, 'cause we're going out to dinner." She said, moving forward and linking her arm with his.

"Wha-?" She was going out like that! He stopped moving forward. "Kagome, you can't wear that outside!" He whispered fiercely.

She paused, looking up at him, hurt. "But...why? I thought you liked it!"

He blushed, fiddling with the cuff of his sleeve. "I do like it...you look amazing...but other guys are going to see you in it and they're going to want to..." He blushed, looking away.

"Rut with me?" She asked, arching an eyebrow at him.

He nodded, biting his lip.

She smiled. "But you're going to be there to protect me, so nothing will happen." She said, looking up at him and pulling him towards the door again. She had some mild reservations about wearing high-heals, but the satin sandles they'd picked had a wide base and plenty of ankle support, so she'd be fine. She lifted a shawl from a hook near the door and wrapped it around her shoulders for warmth, then put on her shoes.

To her surprise, Inuyasha was putting on a pair as well, and grumbling the entire time. It sounded something like: "Fucking shit I do for this bitch..." The words caused her to roll her eyes, and shake her head.

He got up, and offered her a hand, which she gratefully took.

"Thank you, Inuyasha." She said, smiling brightly at him.

He flushed, looking away. "'S nothin'..." He muttered as she slipped her arm through his and they headed towards the shrine steps.

Souta and his mother watched from the second floor, grinning at each other. "Ne, Mama, is Kagome gonna get laid tonight?"

She cuffed the side of his head lightly. "Don't be so crude, Souta."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Dinner went amazingly well, and Kagome felt like she was walking on cloud nine all the way home. Inuyasha's arm was carelessly slung around her shoulders, and she leaned against him, her own arm draped around his waist. "Ne, Inuyasha..." She glanced towards the park, and gestured with her head. "Remember that?"

He closed his eyes, a small, sad smile turning up the corners of his mouth. "Like it was yesterday..." He said softly, twirling a loose strand of hair around a finger. He opened his eyes and looked at her, and saw a sweet smile on her own face. "Kagome?"

"Hm?"

"Have you thought any more about my request...?"

She chuckled softly. "You never really made it a request, you know. You only said you wanted me to be your mate." She teased, glancing up at him.

He blushed. "Kagome-"

"Yes, I've been thinking about it, but this isn't the right place to talk about it, Inuyasha." She lifted her face to look at him, and gave him a tiny smile. "I have a present for you, though, that I think it's okay if you have here..."

He looked at her, a curious expression on his face. "A present?" He asked, recognizing the Engrish for what it was and mentally reminding himself to ask Souta to translate later.

She reached into her purse and found it. It was a simple gold band, and she smiled, pulling it out and catching his left hand carefully. "It's a ring." She said. She carefully placed the ring over his ring finger and smiled up at him. 'With this ring...I thee wed...' She mentally whispered, wanting to cry.

"What's it for?" He asked, looking at the yellow metal in curiousity.

She smiled sweetly. "I'll tell you when we get home."

They walked in silence for the rest of the way, each lost in their own thoughts.

'Oh, god, am I really sure about this!' Kagome wondered, glancing up at the boy she'd silently pledged herself to when she'd put the ring over his finger. She watched him play with it, spinning it around his finger and glanced back at the road. She glanced down at her own ring finger, silently wishing that he understood the significance of the ring, because then she wouldn't have to answer his request.

Inuyasha stared at the ring as he spun it around on his finger. It felt strange, foreign, but it was a gift from the girl he wanted to be his mate, and he'd be damned if he did anything to piss her off when she seemed to be in such a good, if not hesitant mood. He looked up as they reached the shrine and sighed. They were back already, and Kagome still had not answered him. Since he was fully healed now, that would mean he would have to go back to his time and be away from her for another full week. His eyes saddened a bit. 'At least...at least I have this to take back with me...'

They entered the shrine in silence and walked up to Kagome's room. Inuyasha was surprised to see the mess that had once been scattered around the room had been cleaned up and carefully put away. He took a deep breath, seeing his own clothing folded neatly on her bed. "I...I guess I should change and go..."

She looked up at him in shock, her eyes filling with pain. "You wont stay with me?"

He looked away, staring out her window. "I can't...I promised to give you time-"

"Inuyasha-"

"And I keep my promises!" He turned towards her, grabbing her by her arms, giving her a light shake. "Kagome I want you. I want you more with every passing day, and that makes me dangerous to you. So until you give me a solid yes or no, I can't stay too close to you." He saw tears dancing in her eyes and felt his heart break. "Please...don't make this harder than it already is, Kagome..." He whispered, lifting a hand and gently brushing a tear that fell away.

"But Inuyasha...I..." She lifted her face to his. "I want to be with you!" She whispered fiercely, another tear following the first.

He looked at her, his eyes uncertain. "Kagome...what are you saying?"

She caught his face, kissing him silent, feeling his arms go around her and his lips begin to caress hers back. 'YES!' She cried, tears pouring down her face. 'Stay with me...please, Inuyasha...I'm begging you, don't leave me...' She gently guided him towards her bed, till he fell down, taking her with him.

'She's kissing me...' He realized, his heart thundering in his chest. A pleased growl escaped him and he tangled one of his hands in her hair, taking her other in his and rolling so he was above her. He lifted his face for a moment, staring down at her tear-stained one. "Kagome..." He whispered, before moving to take her lips once again.

He moaned softly when her tongue entered his mouth. He trapped her hands with his own, allowing his own tongue to battle with hers, caressing it, fighting its way into her own mouth, where he plundered it thoroughly. He felt her arching against him and his control began to fail. With an anguished groan, he pushed himself off of her. "Dammit..." He whispered. "I told you I'd give you time...and I'm fucking taking advantage of you...dammit...dammit to hell." He sat up, turning away from her.

Kagome felt her heart almost break. "Inuyasha..." She whispered, taking a deep breath and wrapping her arms around his chest. "You weren't taking advantage of me..." She felt him trying to break away from her and she wanted to cry. "I don't want you to leave tonight."

He turned towards her, his face showing his nervousness, his fears. "Kagome, if I stay here with you tonight, I'm going to want to have sex with you." He warned.

She nodded in agreement.

His eyes widened a bit. "Kagome...?"

"I made my decision, Inuyasha." She said, reaching up, caressing his beautiful face.

He stared at her in shock. 'Is she saying...what I think-' His mind screeched to a halt when her lips pressed lightly against his and he heard her whisper softly into his ear.

"I want to be your mate."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

TBC(?)

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_AN: MUWAHAHAHA! Mucho evil cliffy! I even rewrote the WHOLE chapter just to cliffy this ONE SCENE! Hope everyone enjoyed Inuyasha's ahem bath scene. I did! Wink Anyways, tell me what the masses think about this most recent chapter of Coming of Age. Thanks for all the reviews and stuff, keep 'em coming, or I just might hold out on the next chapter!_


	4. Chapter 4

_AN: Wow...this is scary...This is the one story that I was only planning on making a one-shot, and now it's my most popular chaptered fanfic. Kakkoi! Hontou ni URESHII! I know you were all hoping that I would make a lemon of this chapter, but I can't do that and continue to post it on so when I get around to writing the lemon version, I'll notify everyone that has this listed in their favorites or on Alert, so they know the fully completed story is posted elsewhere, and where it's posted. Thanks!_

_Note: Anata-you/dear. In the context I'm using it in, in other words, when referring to a loved male, anata can mean dear or husband._

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome felt her heart almost break. "Inuyasha..." She whispered, taking a deep breath and wrapping her arms around his chest. "You weren't taking advantage of me..." She felt him trying to break away from her and she wanted to cry. "I don't want you to leave tonight."

He turned towards her, his face showing his nervousness, his fears. "Kagome, if I stay here with you tonight, I'm going to want to have sex with you." He warned.

She nodded in agreement.

His eyes widened a bit. "Kagome...?"

"I made my decision, Inuyasha." She said, reaching up, caressing his beautiful face.

He stared at her in shock. 'Is she saying...what I think-' His mind screeched to a halt when her lips pressed lightly against his and he heard her whisper softly into his ear.

"I want to be your mate."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_Coming of Age_

By: Demonsaya

oooooooooooooooooooooo

**4**

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Sangostood by the well, staring down into it, waiting for Inuyasha and Kagome to return. She had been avoiding a certain lecherous monk for the past day, while he had been trying to make contact with her for the same timespan. She didn't really know why. She knew she liked the monk, but she had a distinct feeling that he was just using her because his time was running out and he had yet to make an heir.

She scowled, glaring towards the trees, where a sixth sense told her the priest was watching her wait. 'Pervert...he probably thinks I'll do something sukebe...' Her eyes narrowed and she harrumphed, turning her back on him and sitting down to polish her boomerang, Hiraikotsu. 'Let him try to come over here and do something perverted, I'll beat him six ways from sunday.'

"Hey, you stupid human."

Sango looked up abruptly, seeing Kouga standing there, a look of severe irritation on his face. A scowl covered her face. "Kagome hasn't yet returned, Kouga-kun..." She said evenly, returning to her chore. She glanced behind her, seeing Miroku with his hand on the rosary around his hand, just in case. "So what do you want?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Has that dog turd gotten back, I've still got a score to settle with him."

"No, Kouga, Inuyasha is still with Kagome. I don't know when they'll return." 'So please go away!' She mentally screamed.

Miroku chose that moment to make his presence known. "Kouga-kun, from what Inuyasha told me, Kagome will probably not return until her ankle is mended, if then." He bit back a grin. "He requested she stay till she answered his request. So why don't you go take care of your pack and return in a few weeks?"

"Request?" Kouga hissed. "You mean he's asked her to be his mate! Keh, like she'd agree to be with that weak dog-turd when she could have someone who is actually a powerful full demon."

"Indeed, a powerful demon that wouldn't have given her the option of saying 'no' to him." Miroku sneered. "Why on _earth_ would she pick Inuyasha when she could have you with all your 'greatness'." He walked towards the demon with his eyes narrowed. "If you so much as lay a hand on either of them, my kazanaa will make room for such an important guest..."

Sango looked up at him in surprise, then glanced at Kouga who was growling deep in his throat. "I think you should leave for awhile, Kouga-kun..." She said softly, standing and slipping into a ready stance, so that if he took exception to their words she'd be ready. "Kagome is not here, and will not return for a bit, and I'm sure you'll be able to catch her scent again, easily enough."

He snarled at the humans, cracking his claws. "I could kill you both..." He hissed, stalking closer to them.

Miroku began to unwrap the rosary, getting directly in front of Sango. "Not if you want Kagome to truly hate you forever. She considers you a friend...don't spoil that for her further."

Kouga made a rude gesture with his hand and turned, running off. "Screw y'all! I'll return and take Kagome as my mate no matter how she answers dog-turd!"

Sango relaxed a bit when he was gone, glancing at Miroku, who was winding the rosary back around his hand. "You really respect Inuyasha for giving Kagome a choice, don't you, Miroku-sama..."

Miroku glanced back at her and shrugged, walking towards the trees. "Women always deserve a choice. It makes the relationship more rewarding later on." He paused, glancing back at her. "I am sorry for forcing that kiss upon you. Perhaps I should take a page from Inuyasha's book." He smiled, but it was an unhappy smile, and he disappeared into the treeline.

Sango watched him go through wide eyes. 'Miroku-sama...'

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome yelped softly when she was suddenly crushed against his chest, his face buried into her shoulder, as he whispered soft, affectionate things that she couldn't quite make out. She slowly, hesitantly rested her hands against his chest, blushing furiously. "Inuyasha..." She whispered, wanting him to look at her. She felt a strange dampness on her shoulder and her eyes widened, making her whisper his name once again. This time, his head rose. One look caused her heart to almost burst.

He was crying.

Her jaw dropped and she moved towards him, putting her arms around him quickly. This was something new. True, he had cried once before, but this was different. This time, he wasn't trying to hide it from her. This time, his tears caused a strange ache in her heart and she felt the need to whisper anything it took to calm him.

He couldn't believe it. Her words echoed in his head over and over again and he felt her fingers were now gently caressing his hair, her voice telling him that everything would be alright, she was there, she wouldn't leave him. He clung to her as the emotions welled up inside him. He had fully expected to go his entire life as he always had. Unwanted, uncared for, unloved. And then Kagome had come into his life. And now...

"I love you..." She whispered softly against his hair, her hands moving in a soothing motion, feeling him begin to shake harder. Her heart bled and she hurried to try to soothe the hanyou who clung to her like a life-line. 'Oh, Inuyasha...please, say something...'

He heard her words and they brought fresh tears to his eyes. Yet, as he cried, a smile had turned up his lips. After everything he'd done to her, after all the hurt he'd caused her, here they were, holding each other, and she'd said..."Thank you..." He whispered. Then, he lifted his face and kissed her.

Kagome's lips parted in a startled gasp at the initial contact. It wasn't as though it was their first kiss. No, they'd kissed plenty much already before she'd told him she would be his mate. But never once had the kiss been this sweet. There was none of the desperation of before. Just his lips pressed against hers. Kagome let her eyes fall closed as she kissed him back. His lips tasted salty like his tears, and she lifted her hands, gently brushing the remnants of the hanyou's show of emotion from his cheeks.

He pulled back reluctantly, looking down into her smiling face. He leaned forward, nuzzling her neck, pressing soft kisses against it. Slowly, he pulled back looking into her eyes. "Kagome, you deserve for this to be special your first time...I won't do this the demon way this time...so rutting isn't the right word..." He blushed faintly, stroking her cheek. "What do humans call it?"

Her eyes widened. "W-we call it...making love." She whispered softly, blushing as well. She felt his fingers gently trailing across the area where he would mark her and she bit her lip, looking up at him, shyly. "Inuya-"

He leaned forward, kissing her tenderly on the lips. He slid his hand down her back, trying to find the device that would free her from the dress. 'Where is that...what's the word? Zipper? Ah! Bingo!' He found it after a long moment of searching and he slid it slowly down, pulling back to meet her gaze. "Kagome, I want you to promise me that if you're not sure about this part yet, you'll stop me..." He said as the zipper was finally open completely, and a bit more of her back was exposed to the air.

She blushed faintly. "I promise..." She whispered. She felt his hands slowly pull the straps of her dress down and she blushed darker when her chest became exposed to his view. Instinct told her to hide, to cover herself, but Inuyasha caught her arms, holding them gently at her sides.

"Don't hide from me." He ordered softly. Slowly, he slid his clawed fingers down her arms to her wrists, slowly wrapping around them, bringing her hands to the line of tiny buttons down the front of his shirt. He saw the faint blush on her face and felt her fingers gently opening his shirt as she'd closed it earlier that evening. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back, drawing her towards him. He could smell that she was nervous and bit the inside of his cheek. 'Please, please, PLEASE don't get scared now...'

Kagome watched with fascination as she buttoned his shirt and his chest slowly came into view, inch by gorgeous inch. 'How did he get this tan?' She wondered, not for the first and probably not the last time. She made a mental note to herself to ask him about it at a later time. Right now, it wasn't the right time, and she knew it. Meanwhile, she allowed her eyes the privilege of drifting over the hanyou's muscular chest, down to the waist of his pants.

She heard him suck in his breath when she began to run her fingertips across his moonlit skin, exploring each ridge of muscle. To her surprise, he was being remarkably patient with her exploration and a shy glance up at his face gave her a good reason why.

He was blushing, a faint smile on his face. He caught one of her hands and pressed light kisses to each fingertip, holding her eyes with his own. "You're not scared?" He asked softly, gently caressing her neck and shoulders.

She slowly shook her head, blushing faintly. "Not of you."

He stood, pulling her to her feet as well. Gently, he gave her dress a tug, sending it to the floor. A tiny smile turned up his lips when she gasped softly. He caught her chin, holding her eyes with his as he shrugged from the silk shirt, which joined her dress on the floor. He pulled her against his chest, embracing her gently, moving his lips to her ear to whisper to her. "I'm glad." He whispered softly, then he picked her up, setting her softly against the bed. He leaned over her, letting his silver hair hang like a curtain around them.

Kagome reached up, freeing the rest of his hair from the rubber band her mother had used, effectively freeing her true goal as well. His ears. She reached up, lightly stroking them with her fingers, watching as his face relaxed and a deep, rumbling purr escaped his chest.

The pair continued their mutual exploration of their partners exposed skin, till Inuyasha thought his head was going to explode. He just wasn't sure if it was the one on his shoulders, or the one between his legs. "Kagome..." He whimpered softly, before kissing her a bit desperately, trying to convey his meaning in something other than words.

Kagome lifted her gaze to his and slowly nodded.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Miroku walked slowly towards the well the next morning to relieve Sango of her post from the night before. He sighed as he reached the well and saw the girl's back was to him, so she wouldn't see him coming.

He was certain to make as much noise as possible to not startle the demon huntress. He even spoke her name as he approached her back. When she didn't respond, his eyes narrowed in concern. He moved around her, kneeling in front of her. "Sango?"

The girl was sleeping peacefully, leaning back against the well.

Miroku dropped to a knee and smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Good morning, sleepy-head..." He said, lightly stroking her face with his index finger.

Her eyes opened slowly and she saw warm gray eyes looking at her with affection. "Miroku-sama?" She asked, feeling suddenly awkward. 'Why is he looking at me like that!'

He sat down, turning, resting his back against the well beside her. "Sorry to wake you, but you shouldn't sleep in such an exposed place." He said, glancing towards her. "It's dangerous, especially with Kouga around."

Sango smiled, shrugging. "But I have an attack cat, so I think I was pretty safe."

"Except from perverted monks?" He teased, but there was an underlying bitterness in his voice that he didn't expect. He winced, looking away. 'That's right. No matter how you may like this woman, you're nothing but a pervert to her so why do you even bother!' He fisted the hand on the ground.

Sango blushed, looking at the ground. "Kirara trusts you not to hurt me." She said, resting her hand on his hesitantly.

Miroku looked at her in surprise. 'Why bother? Because I'm head over heals in love with this frustratingly, frighteningly beautiful woman.' He took a deep breath, glancing towards her, his heart catching in his throat. There was a soft look of affection in her eyes that made him slightly hopeful. "Do you?" He asked softly, dropping his gaze to his sandaled feet.

She blinked, looking at him through wide eyes. "Do I what?" She asked, blinking. He'd been staring at her for several minutes, and she guessed she must have been staring at him as well.

He laughed, shaking his head. "Nothing, Sango-sama..." He said softly, keeping his eyes averted from hers. "You should go back to the village." He said softly.

"No. I'll stay here and wait for Inuyasha and Kagome to return. Perhaps you're right, it's better for two people to sit as guards, they stand less of a chance of being caught by surprise." She felt his eyes snap towards her, but didn't meet his gaze.

"Hm. Even if the other person just happens to be a lecherous monk who can't seem to stop groping you?" He asked, tilting his head back and lifting his eyes to the purple and gold sunrise. "Do you think Inuyasha made it to Kagome's time alright?" He asked idly, not waiting for his companion to answer his rhetorical question.

"I hope so. He probably made it there fine." Sango arched an eyebrow at him, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. "Ne, Miroku-sama..."

"Hm?" He glanced towards her and saw a peculiar expression on her face.

'Should I?' She wondered, frowning slightly. 'Or should I not?' She gave a shrug. 'Oh, what the hell.' She grabbed him by the ears and pulled his face down to hers, kissing him firmly on the lips.

Miroku's brain promptly shut down. It seemed impossible. He, the womanizing monk, Miroku, had just been rendered incompetent by this woman whose lips were pressed chastely against his in a kiss.

Sango pulled back, trying not to smirk at the dumbstruck look on the monks face. She leaned back against the well and looked upwards, lacing her fingers together.

Miroku felt his mind finally click back into place and stared at the girl in wonder. 'She kissed me.' He realized, his face softening and a small smile turning up the corners of his lips. "Thank you, Sango-sama." He said lifting his gaze as well.

She smiled as well, not saying anything.

"Why?" He finally asked, not looking at her, choosing to watch as the sun rose above the treetops. So lovely. Just like the girl beside him.

She shrugged. "I don't know. It just felt like a good idea." She laughed softly. "You know, now that I think about it, that sounds like something you'd say..."

He looked at her, arching an eyebrow. "Sango-sama, look at me."

She was still giggling softly when her eyes met his. Slowly her laughter died. He was leaning towards her, a question in his eyes. She nodded, not breaking eye contact.

'Finally...' He caressed her lips with his, making the first consensual exploration of her mouth slow and lingering. He pulled back, his face serious. "Sango..." He said softly, lifting a hand and touching her arm gently.

She blushed a bit, lifting a hand and brushing his bangs from his face. She gasped shocked when she was suddenly pulled tightly against his chest, and his arms were around her, and she was being rocked back and forth. She felt his face pressed against her shoulder and bit her lip, wondering if she didn't make a bad decision by letting him kiss her once again.

He gently combed her hair with his fingers, his face soft. "You are so perfect..." He whispered softly. "Everything that I could ever want..."

She turned darker with each word he whispered against her hair. Slowly, she lifted her face to look up into his eyes. "Miroku-sama..."

He smiled fondly, touching her face. "So strong and beautiful..." He ran the finger down her cheek, to her chin. He kissed her forehead, then released her, scooting a bit away from her. "I'm sorry, Sango-sama..." He said softly, looking away. 'I am in love with her.' He realized, his face saddening. 'But I wont break her heart by dying.'

She blinked when he withdrew from her, confusion overwhelming her. "Miroku? What's wrong?"

"I can't." He said softly. "God knows I want to, but I wont do that to you."

Her eyes widened in realization and she felt her heart begin to crack. "But, I-"

He turned towards her, resting his hand against her lips. "Don't, Sango. Please." He whispered, his eyes filled with his pain, his feelings.

A sob escaped her and she jumped to her feet. She ran towards her demon cat, who transformed to full size and she jumped onto it, looking back at Miroku a final time. He wasn't looking at her, he was staring at the ground where she'd once been. "Damn you!" She shouted at him, then guided her pet into the air towards the village. 'DAMN ME, TOO!'

He smiled sadly, lifting his face to the sky and watching as she left. "I love you." He said softly as she disappeared from sight.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

He woke first, noting that he was warm. Warm and oddly tired. Not the bad kind of tired, where you couldn't sleep the night before because you were worried about the woman you loved. Not the kind of tired where you wake up after getting the crap kicked out of you.

No, this kind of tired was a kind of lazy, warm, WONDERFUL tired.

He felt safe and comfortable, warm.

'This is my home...' He realized, burying his nose into the girls hair, wincing as a leftover hairpin stuck him in the eye. He grunted, opening his eyes and pulled it gently from her hair, throwing it across the room. That was when he took the opportunity to really look at the woman beside him.

Her skin glowed faintly gold in the light from the rising sun shining off the clouds outside her window. Her brown hair shone in the light, spilling around her like brown satin, begging to be touched.

Who was he to refuse?

He brushed a few stray strands of hair from her face, smiling fondly down at her. He watched her stir and leaned over, kissing her gently on the lips. She moaned against his mouth, and he pulled back, staring down at her.

She opened her eyes and smiled up at him. "Inuyasha..." She whispered, lifting a hand and caressing his face. "I like how you say 'good morning'." She murmured, snuggling closer to him and putting her arms around him. She saw him smirk and rolled her eyes a bit. "We should go get cleaned up..." She pondered idly.

He nodded in agreement, but looked a bit dejected. "Can we do that later?" He asked, running his hand down her shoulder to her elbow, then back up, his fingers lightly caressing the slightly swollen red spot on her shoulder.

She gasped when his fingers brushed the mark and she lightly tapped his chest. "Inuyasha!" She whispered. "What if my baby brother were to hear?"

He gave her a lecherous grin. "Like the whole city didn't hear you last night." He teased, leaning towards her ear and mimicking her cries. "Motto...motto...oh, anata..." He breathed into her ear, before wincing when she grabbed his nipple and gave it a sharp tug. "Ow!"

"Jerk..." She purred, soothing the hurt with a gentle kiss before smiling at him. "Besides, I was trying to be quiet...it's not my fault you wouldn't let me."

He closed his eyes, pulling her tighter against his side. "Don't blame me." He grinned at her. He sighed, running his claws through her soft hair. "Kagome, I have to say something to you." He saw her look at him, a smile on her face. 'Here goes nothing...' He thought and opened his mouth to tell her those three words he hadn't said in years.

Three words that were interrupted by the door bursting open and Kagome's friend Ayumi running into the room. "Kagome, you're not going to believe this-" The girl froze, staring at the pair that lay on the bed, horrified looks on their faces. She blushed dark red, realizing that both were naked from at LEAST the waist up and spun on her heal, walking out of the room.

A moment later, Mrs. Higurashi peeked into the room. "Sorry, hon, I tried to warn her."

Kagome groaned, pulling the blankets fully over her head, trying to hide. "Oh my GOD...the whole house really DOES know!"

Inuyasha groaned, putting his head into his hands. 'Shit. Fucking mood is completely ruined now. I'm not going to fucking say something this important without saying it right.' He climbed from the bed, grabbing his yukata and pulling it on before putting on his hakama. He walked back to the bed and sat down beside her. "Kagome, I'll wait for you downstairs, okay..." He said, tugging the blanket down to press a soft kiss to her forehead.

She nodded shyly, watching him walk out of the room. She groaned, rolling out of the bed and wandered over towards her closet. She pulled out her robe, then located a clean pair of panties, pulling them on. "I can't BELIEVE this!" She muttered, annoyed. 'I wonder what Inuyasha was going to say before Ayumi barged in. What's she doing here, anyways? It's a Sunday, so there's no school.' She growled softly, jerking the robe around her and wandering downstairs. "This better be good..."

When she reached the kitchen, she found Inuyasha standing there, drinking a cup of tea. He caught sight of her and grabbed another, bringing it to her.

"I'm SO sorry, Kagome, I had no idea!" Ayumi cried, blushing from the neck of her shirt clear up to her hairline. "It's just...I just found out Hojo's gonna try to propose to you so that you 'can't possibly say no'. Or something like that. I heard him talking about it at WacDonalds with a bunch of guys." She looked so urgent. "What are you going to do!"

Kagome snorted. "I'm going to tell him that there's no chance in hell, less than a snowballs chance in summer, as likely as me to roll over and do a dog impression."

Inuyasha arched an eyebrow at her for the phrase and his ear twitched.

She looked at him and sighed. "Sorry, anata...I guess I'm just tense."

"Wait a sec...anata!" Ayumi grabbed Kagome by the collar of the robe and shook her lightly. "I want DETAILS! Now!"

Kagome turned bright red, looking from Inuyasha to her mother in a desperate attempt to get help.

Unfortunately for her, the one who interceded was Inuyasha. "She's my mate." He said, finishing the last of his tea and leaning back against the counter.

"M-m-m-m-MATE!" Ayumi squealed, then drug the girl from the room. "What the hell did he mean by MATE! I mean, I know you slept with...him...Kagome, what the hell is that mark on your shoulder!"

Kagome adjusted her robe. "You do know everyone can hear you, right?" She asked, her eyes narrowing. "And for your information, that mark on my shoulder is probably the closest thing I'll get to a wedding ring. It's his mark, given to me marking me as his." Kagome shook her head.

"B-b-but...you're just in high school!" Ayumi burst into sobs. Suddenly, the girl stopped and looked at her. "Kagome...were you a virgin?"

Kagome turned purple. "Of course I was!" She hissed. "Not that it's any of your business!"

The girl's eyes teared up. "Oh, Kagome-chan! Our little Kagome-chan!" She smiled, hugging her friend. "She finally got the stick out of her ass!"

"WHAT!" Kagome pushed her giggling friend back. She gave the other girl a glare and then dissolved into giggles. "You're one to talk, Ayumi. I haven't seen you date a guy since we were in grade school!"

"I have too dated!" Ayumi said. "So, is he any good in the sack?"

"Ayumi! He'll hear you!" She whispered, blushing to the roots of her hair. She giggled, gesturing to the couch. "And for your information, yes!"

"Do you think he's done it before?"

Kagome tilted her head back, closing her eyes and thinking back to the first time the night before, their first time. She smiled faintly. It wasn't like you'd read in a romance manga. It wasn't great. It was kind of awkward, a bit painful, and she didn't really get much out of it. She grinned at her friend, a faint smirk on her face. "No, I don't."

The door creaked open and they saw Inuyasha leaning in the doorway looking at them with arched eyebrows. "Do all girls gossip about their sex life?" He asked mildly, taking a sip from a fresh cup of tea.

Both girls turned bright red.

He smirked, glancing towards Kagome. "Your mom said breakfast's done. She said to go wake up your brother, too..."

She glared at him, arching an eyebrow. "Fine." She jumped to her feet and flounced indignantly out of the room, pausing to tap him on his mark.

His jaw dropped and he scowled. "That's just mean."

She stuck out her tongue at him and disappeared up the stairs.

He growled deep in his chest, then saw Ayumi staring at him, a strange expression on her face. "What?"

"If you hurt Kagome-chan, I'm going to kill you." She said evenly.

Inuyasha jumped a bit, his eyes widening. "Wh-what!"

Her eyes narrowed a bit. "I've known Kagome since we were in grade school. I know her best, better than any of our other friends in high school. When Kagome feels something, there's not room for anything else. Love, hate, compassion, it doesn't matter. When she feels, she feels completely, with everything she is. If you hurt her, I'll kill you."

He blushed, looking away. "Keh. Don't be ridiculous." He muttered, feeling awkward again. He ground his teeth together and looked back at the girl. "Kagome'll be the first to tell you that I'll always protect her."

"I'm not talking about physically." She said softly, standing. "I risked my friendship with two of my best friends because I think you two are perfect for each other. Don't turn me into a liar." She moved towards the kitchen just as Souta and Kagome hit the bottom step. They laughed and skidded past Inuyasha and into the kitchen.

He watched her go, his face soft. 'I wont hurt her...I'll do everything I can to protect her. Even if it's her heart and mind I have to protect, too...'

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Breakfast was...lively.

Inuyasha and Souta fought over the last pancake, arguing so furiously they didn't notice Kagome sneak the pancake off the plate and smother it in syrup, beginning to eat it. When they finally did notice, it was because Kagome's mother had begun cleaning off the table.

That of course started a brand new argument, which managed to get everyone in the vicinity splattered with the syrup from her pancake.

When that was over, everyone that had been in the kitchen had to go get changed and toss their syrup covered clothing into the laundry. Then, people began fighting over who got the first showers.

Kagome admitted defeat to Souta, who got the first shower, which adjourned the rest, all wearing a fresh yukata, to the living room.

"So, I take it last night went well?" Kagome's mother asked, smiling cheerfully. She watched the teenagers blush and sipped her tea, eying them over the rim of the cup. Of course Kagome had told her that she had planned on accepting Inuyasha's offer the night before. She had simply nodded, demanding to get an update later.

Kagome leaned against Inuyasha's shoulder, watching him play with the ring on his finger while she contemplated the answer. "Last night went fine, mama." She said, reaching over and squeezing Inuyasha's hand gently in her own. She felt him jump a bit, as though he'd been deep in thought and gave him a small smile.

He smiled back, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Last night had, technically speaking, gone very well. He and Kagome had mated. However, the first time, he couldn't help but remember the soft whimper of pain, and then the faint scent of her blood. She hadn't enjoyed the first time much.

He glanced away, slightly tuning out the two women's voices, thinking back to what had happened the past few weeks. 'She's better off without me...I'll just wind up hurtin' her again and I don't want to hurt her...' He looked down, tracing a pattern on the table.

"So when are you two going to get married?"

This question caused his face to jerk up and look at the older woman at the table. She was smiling cheerfully, but her eyes told him she was dead serious. He squirmed uncomfortably.

"Mom..." Kagome said slowly. "Inuyasha and I haven't even talked about that yet..."

"Then perhaps you should explain the ring he's wearing to him." She said, standing and walking out of the room. "I think Souta's done in the shower." She said.

Inuyasha glanced down at the ring on his finger, then towards Kagome, who was standing and looking like she was heading towards the shower. "Kagome...?" He asked, tilting his head to the side in confusion. "Why did you give me this?" He asked softly.

She blushed, looking at the ground. "Come on, Inuyasha...let's go get a shower..."

He blinked, eyes widening. "Together?"

"Of course. It's not like we didn't see everything the other had to offer last night." She leaned towards him, kissing the tip of his nose.

He watched her leave the room, his eyes focusing on her shapely hips, before getting to his feet and following her from the room like a puppy. Sure enough, they arrived at the bathroom just as Souta walked out, a fluffy robe wrapped around him, towel-drying his short hair.

"Nee-chan, try not to make so much noise." The young boy teased, ducking out of the way of a good rough noogie before running down the hall to his room.

Kagome shook her head, walking into the bathroom. She had secured two towels and glanced back, noticing Inuyasha hesitating at the door. "What's the matter?" She asked, straightening, her eyes narrow with concern.

"Last night...I hurt you, didn't I." He said softly, his head lowered his hand fisted so tight his claws were piercing his skin.

She shook her head, smiling and walking towards him, catching him by the arm and dragging him into the bathroom. She closed the door behind him and walked towards the shower, turning on the water. She didn't answer him, choosing instead to get ready for a brief period of intimacy with her loved one. She turned to face him, untying her yukata and letting it drop to the ground.

He looked up, startled when her yukata hit the ground and he bit his lower lip, his mind going blank for a moment. Then, her hands started removing his. 'Bitch! I bet she knows I can't think straight when she's all naked in front of me and shit...' He took a deep breath, his face serious. "Kagome, I need to know..." He said, glancing away.

She sighed, taking his hand and dragging him into the bath. "It always hurts a bit the first time for a girl." She said calmly, stepping under the spray and dragging him with her. "I thought you knew that..." She gave him a tiny smile and caressed his face gently.

His eyes widened a bit. "But I thought that was because of the barrier! You didn't have one..." He paused, his eyes narrowing a bit. "Kagome..."

She rolled her eyes. "Inuyasha, girls that are active don't usually have a hymen." She said evenly. 'Geeze, he's a bigger virgin than I thought. He doesn't know alot about it at all...then again, I guess they didn't have 'Sex for Dummies' five hundred years ago...' She took his hands in her's, giving both a gentle squeeze. "Anata, I swear to you, I am yours alone. I haven't shared myself with anyone else." She looked directly into his eyes. "Don't you trust me?"

He blushed faintly, his face saddening. "Kagome, I-"

She pressed herself up onto her toes, kissing him lightly on the lips.

His eyes fell completely closed at the gentle touch and he moaned softly. "Aren't we supposed to be getting cleaned up?" He teased, as she dropped back down and drew her close, pressing himself against her.

She smiled softly. "Don't worry about it, Inuyasha. Everything's going to be okay." She promised, nuzzling his chest with her cheek. "I love you."

Suddenly, the start of this whole conversation came back to him and he pulled back a bit. "Hey, your mom said something about this thing you gave me?" He held up his hand, arching an eyebrow at her.

She blushed faintly. "Well, Inuyasha, it only seemed fair that if you had a visual claim on me that all demons could see, that I have one that all the human girls in my time can see." She glanced away.

He arched an eyebrow. "Kagome?"

"It's...It's a wedding ring." She admitted. "I didn't care if we ever had a ceremony. I pledged myself to you when I put it on your finger. I love you, and I want to be with you...wherever we are."

His face softened visibly and he wrapped his arms tightly around her. He smiled, pressing her face gently against her shoulder. The one that wasn't swollen with the mark. "Thank you."

She smiled, snuggling into his chest.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kouga hadn't come back yet.

Miroku breathed easier, knowing the wolf wouldn't come back and test his luck now. Perhaps he'd remembered his obligation to his pack, and had decided to STAY THERE! It would be easier on everyone involved.

He rubbed his eyes, sighing softly, remembering with distinct fondness his encounter with Sango earlier that day, when the sun was just rising. He smiled sadly, closing his eyes. She tasted sweet, not startled, as she had the first time they'd kissed. Her lips had willingly softened beneath his, she'd kissed him back.

"Dammit..." He whispered, looking away from the well, towards the trees, but not really staring at anything. "I love her, why in the name of hell did I push her away!" He slammed his fist into the ground, his face darkening. He sound of a twig breaking suddenly caught all of his attention and he jerked around, seeing a beautiful girl walking towards him. Her frame was wrapped in a pink and white yukata, and there was a huge boomerang attatched to her back. His eyes widened in surprise. "S-sango..."

She stared at him with a look of shock, her mind running a mile a minute. 'Was he talking about...me?' She wondered, slowly walking towards him, her brow creased in confusion. She wasn't going to let him push her away. This time she wanted answers. This time she'd get them, without having to worry about pride.

He jumped to his feet, about to make a break for it, when her arms suddenly went around his waist from behind. He froze, unable to move. His face saddened, but he smiled softly. "Sango..." He whispered, resting his hands over hers.

"Don't run away." She whispered softly. "Please, don't run away from me..."

"Don't do this..." He whispered, squeezing his eyes closed. "I don't want to hurt you, Sango-sama..."

"Oh, just drop the damn 'sama' shit." She whispered fiercely. "I heard what you said!"

He went rigid, his eyes shooting wide. "No..." He pulled away from her, turning, his face worried. "Please, just forget it...I was just ranting..."

She was getting angry. "No, and I'm not going anywhere until I get some answers!" She shook her head fiercely. "I can understand me pushing you away. You've been groping every female that came arm's-length away from you probably since birth! But...you kissed me first. And when I let you in...you shove me away! Don't you think I deserve some answers?" She slammed her fist against his chest as he reached towards her again. "You jerk! The only reason I haven't said anything is because we've always been in a dangerous situation, or Kagome has, or Inuyasha has! Well there's no danger to hide behind now! I LOVE YOU! YOU STUPID CREEP!"

He blanched under her words. "Sango..." He pulled her into his arms, his eyes narrowing in pain. Never before now did he more feel like crying. "I'm sorry, but we can't...we can't be together, if we were...I am sealing your fate. I am an ORPHAN, for the love of god. So was my father! I can't have a child with the woman I love! Why do you think I never asked you! If you have my child, then you'll DIE!" He didn't yell, but he emphasized his words fiercely. "When I was born, my mother was sucked into Kazaana." He took a shuddering breath, resting his face against her shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sango...we can't be together...it's impossible."

Her heart broke. "No..." She whispered. "What about when we defeat Naraku!"

He laughed softly. "Sango, you're assuming that I'll live to see Naraku defeated." He released her and stepped away. "I don't have much time left. It's getting bigger, and I'll be gone in under a year. And the curse will die with me."

Her eyes widened in shock. "NO." She said firmly. "We're going to beat him! You'll be able to have a normal life!"

He looked away from her, a faint smile on his face. "Don't be sad for me, Sango. I have been blessed enough to know love before I die." He reached out with his uncursed hand, brushing a lock of hair from her face. "I have been blessed to be loved by you." He stepped away from her, walking towards the trees.

"If you refuse to be with me, can't you just give me tonight!" She cried, her hands fisting into her yukata.

He froze, his eyes going wide. He turned towards her, shocked. "S-sango?"

She felt the tears that had been threatening finally overflow. "Just tonight, Miroku. One night where neither of us have to think about Naraku. One night, for the rest of my life. So I know how it felt to lay in your arms. So I know..." She blushed. "How it feels with the man you love." She looked away, her face softening further, as tears continued to fall down her face. "Because I swear to you, I'll never fall in love with anyone again."

He turned towards her, and in two short steps, he had her in his arms, and he was kissing her as though his life depended on it. He pulled back, looking deeply into her eyes. "You're sure?"

She nodded. "Yes."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

It was almost midnight when Inuyasha and Kagome finally headed back to the well, wearing their usual clothing, their shower had gotten rather 'steamy', and when they had cleaned up, they vowed to not do that again for awhile. Kagome was slightly sore, and Inuyasha was exhausted, after all.

Kagome spent the next several hours packing her bag, including all the necessities, including spare yukata for her friends. When she was finally done, she and Inuyasha told everyone goodbye and headed towards the well.

They reached the mouth of it and Inuyasha paused, glancing towards her, his eyes smiling at her. "Ready?" He asked, putting an arm around her waist.

She nodded, her eyes lighting up brightly. She threw her arms around him as well and he lept into the well, carrying her bag on his back. There was a jerk in her stomach as they fell through time, and then they landed in on the other side, five hundred years in the past. She tilted her head to the side, hearing two voices talking softly.

Inuyasha sniffed the air and arched an eyebrow. "Hey, you two decent!" He shouted.

The sounds of curses and two people scurrying to put their clothing on was heard and when it was quiet, Miroku peeked down. "Ah, Inuyasha..." He smiled weakly. "We weren't expecting you back yet..."

"Keh." The hanyou wrapped his arm around his mate's waist, jumping straight out of the well and setting her down carefully when his feet touched down on the ground. He gave the pair that were 'waiting' for them an interesting look that said 'I know what you two were doing...'.

Kagome ran towards her friend, giving her a big hug. "Sango-chan! I missed you!"

The girl hugged her back, trying to ignore the bright blush covering her face. "I missed you, too, Kagome-chan. But what are you doing back, I thought you weren't coming back until-" Her eyes widened when the girl before her blushed and smiled shyly, glancing towards Inuyasha.

The hanyou was sniffing the air, and being exceptionally cautious.

"Oh..." She said slowly, envying the pair slightly. In spite of everything standing in their way, they had finally pledged themselves to the other, and now were lovers. All she could ever have, would ever have...would be this night. She glanced towards Miroku, who was talking quietly to Inuyasha, who was still scanning the area with his ears, eyes, and nose.

"Kouga left." Miroku said softly, glancing towards Kagome and Sango, meeting the latter's eyes briefly before looking back at the hanyou. "But it's only a matter of time till he returns for Kagome. What will you do?"

"Kagome is my mate." Inuyasha said evenly. "I will do what I've always done, I'll protect her." He kept his ears rotating. "There's a wolf nearby...no doubt someone keeping a nose out for Kagome..." He snorted. "Let's get out of the open..." The hanyou walked over towards Kagome, giving his back to her and dropping on one knee. "Come on, Kagome, we should get to the village."

She nodded in agreement, climbing onto his back without hesitation. She wound her arms around his neck, settling in for the ride ahead of them. She glanced back and saw Sango start out after them, followed by a solemn looking Miroku.

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked softly, glancing back at her. "You know Kouga's going to come to us soon, right?"

She nodded. "Yes, and yes. I need to have a word with him for hurting you, anyways..." She looked away, her face darkening in anger. "He had no right to do what he did...it was an unprovoked attack..." She whispered fiercely.

He smiled a bit at her protectiveness. "He was doing what any other demon would have done. Trying to protect what he considered 'his'." He said softly. "All that matters is his plan didn't work, and we're both okay." He sniffed the air, glancing back at the other members of their band. They were walking a good distance away from each other, looking in different directions. "Did Sango tell you what's goin' on with her and Miroku?"

"No." She replied. "They seem kind of tense, huh..."

"They were rutting just before we got there." He muttered, shaking his head. "You'd think they'd be thrilled."

Kagome shook her head. "Not necessarily, Inuyasha. They both have heavy burdens, and they can't really afford the luxury of a relationship."

"We have our burdens, too, right?" He smiled faintly. "You're a miko, and the protecter of the Shikon no Tama. You come from a different time." He patted her hand gently. "Sometimes, it might be better to just say screw everything else, and just be with the person you want to be with for as long as you can."

She looked at him in shock, then laughed lightly. "Wow, Inuyasha...that was pretty deep. I'm impressed."

He glared at her. "It's what I get from hanging around with you too much." He muttered, although he grinned a bit as well.

They continued on in silence, listening carefully in case a demon snuck up on the group. They had to be ready to protect their important people, their friends.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kouga reclined back against the cave wall, looking over his pack, his eyes narrowed. "Where is that damn bitch..." He snarled, his claws sinking into the hard rock like a hot knife through butter. It had been nearly four days since Inuyasha had disappeared down into the well last, two since he'd left the side of the well to return to his pack, leaving a sentry to wait for the girl's return.

The orders were simple. He was to bring the girl to the alpha male. So why wasn't the little twit back yet!

The wolf demon took several calming breaths, leaning forward, catching a strange scent. Nervousness? His eyes darted towards the entrance of the cave and he saw his sentry returning, his eyes darting around. "Oi."

The sentry, Ginta, jumped, looking up at his leader. "Ah, Kouga-sama..." He ran towards him, trying to figure out how to break the news to the much stronger demon.

"Where's. My. Mate?" The question was spoken in three words, and a threatening manner than frightened the poor wolf shitless.

"Forgive me, Kouga-sama, I was unable to retrieve Nee-chan." He said, dropping to the ground in an extremely formal bow.

"And why is that!" Kouga was on his feet, standing over the lesser wolf menacingly.

Ginta cringed. "Because she's mated with the inu-hanyou!" He gasped out.

"SHE'S WHAT!"

oooooooooooooooooooooo

They had left late the next morning, giving everyone an opportunity to rest up. Inuyasha had sat vigilantly awake, his ears twitching back and forth, listening for interruptions of the normal night sounds. Letting his guard down in Kagome's time was one thing. He didn't have to worry about getting attacked and murdered in his sleep.

Letting it down here was a completely different story.

So, as the group walked along, Inuyasha kept his ears and nose active while watching the human girl who walked a few paces in front of him. Miroku was being excpetionally quiet during the trip and hadn't even made a single lecherous comment towards Sango or Kagome, which was unusual for him. "Oi, Miroku. What kinda bug crawled up your ass?"

Miroku gave a half-shrug. "It's nothing, Inuyasha. I am just thinking."

"Well, think fast because I think I smell a wolf headed this way. Kagome!" Inuyasha caught her wrist as she turned and he pulled her to a stop. "Stay by me." He said evenly, his eyes narrowing as he stared up the road.

Miroku grabbed Sango gently and pushed her behind him. He stood ready, his eyes narrow in irritation. "You'd think the alpha-male of a wolf-pack would have better things to do than chase after a woman who's already mated with another demon..." The houshi said evenly, his face darkening.

The wolf finally came into sight, his face dark. His jyaki swarmed around him and was visible to all of them. The demon was PISSED.

"KAGOME!" Kouga shouted, a fair distance up the road from them. His eyes laid eyes on the girl and he sprinted forward, stopping abruptly right before the pair. He sniffed the air around her and his eyes went to her shoulder. His face darkened dramatically. "You...mated with this...THING!" He snarled, his claws lengthening just a bit.

Inuyasha gently guided Kagome behind him. "Stay behind me, Kagome..." He said softly, not taking his eyes off the wolf.

Kagome glared at Kouga. "He asked, Kouga. You didn't!" She fisted her hand into the back of Inuyasha's haori.

"That's because You. Are. MINE!" He lunged forward, his hand going around Inuyasha's throat. "If I kill you, she's released from your mark...and then I can mark her myself..."

A creak sounded through the air and everyone's eyes snapped towards Kagome, who had readied her bow and had an arrow trained on Kouga. She fixed him with a death glare, glancing briefly towards the boy Kouga held in his grasp. "Release him." She demanded evenly.

"Kagome..." Kouga whispered, his eyes deeply confused. "But Kagome, I love you...you're my woman, remember? He's only ever treated you like crap..."

"Let him go." She said once again, her eyes narrowing dramatically. It was mostly for effect, to see if it worked. "This is your last chance before I make you."

Kouga slowly unwound his hand from Inuyasha's throat, letting the hanyou drop to the ground. "I love you! How could you betray me like this!"

"I haven't betrayed you. I considered you my friend. I no longer do. Leave us alone. I love Inuyasha, and I always have. If you ever touch him again, I'll kill you without hesitation."

Everyone stared at Kagome in shock. Inuyasha's jaw dropped just a bit, and he got to his feet, moving towards his mate, standing by her side, sliding an arm around her waist before fixing the wolf with a glare of his own. "It's okay, Kagome..." He said softly, taking the arrow with his free hand. "He wont do anything else. You've turned him down...he can't do anything else..." He glared at Kouga, his eyes dead serious.

"Wanna bet!" Kouga snarled, leaping forward, kicking their friends out of the way, spinning and sending Inuyasha through the air as well.

Kagome winced as Inuyasha's claws scraped her slightly when he was dislodged from her. Her eyes met Kouga's and she stood perfectly still, looking up at him. "I'd die before I mated with you." She said softly.

He grinned ferally. "That's what I had in mind, pet..." He lifted his claws, preparing to rip through her flesh.

She closed her eyes, cringing back as she heard the claws whistle through the air.

They never touched her.

A sword blocked the downward path, and Kagome slowly opened her eyes.

A silver-haired demon stood before her, between herself and the wolf demon. But it wasn't Inuyasha.

No, it wasn't Inuyasha, because this demon wasn't wearing a haori and hakama colored in red. No. It wasn't Inuyasha. Inuyasha didn't have a fluffy thing thrown over his shoulder.

Everyone stared at the demon that had saved Kagome in shock, but Inuyasha was the only one who could find it in him to say the demon's name.

"Sesshoumaru...?"

oooooooooooooooooooooo

TBC(?)

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_AN: Um...Yeah, so another cliffy. Sorry. I needed a good place to cut off the chapter and this seemed as good a place as any. You all are probably sick of the damn cliffies. I'll try to not end the next chapter with one. No promises, tho. It's been hard enough to crank out this chapter. I actually wrote it and re-wrote it four or five times. The only part that stayed consistant was the opening scene with Miroku and Sango. Sorry to those of you who've been hoping that it would be a lemon, but this IS I'm posting this on. I have to keep it reasonably citrus free. When I write the lemon version, I'll register to a site where I can post it and let all my readers know, k? Thinking back, I never really planned to turn this into a lemon to begin with... . ; Oh well. Anyways, please review the latest chapter! You guys are the ones that are getting this story done, remember? No reviews...well, you get the idea! Love, peace, and puppy ears!_


	5. Chapter 5

_AN: Okay, it's official. This is my all time MOST popular story EVER. I'm happy with it, and proud of it and I'm glad everyone likes it. What can I say. Here we go with the next chapter._

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome winced as Inuyasha's claws scraped her slightly when he was dislodged from her. Her eyes met Kouga's and she stood perfectly still, looking up at him. "I'd die before I mated with you." She said softly.

He grinned ferally. "That's what I had in mind, pet..." He lifted his claws, preparing to rip through her flesh.

She closed her eyes, cringing back as she heard the claws whistle through the air.

They never touched her.

A sword blocked the downward path, and Kagome slowly opened her eyes.

A silver-haired demon stood before her, between herself and the wolf demon. But it wasn't Inuyasha.

No, it wasn't Inuyasha, because this demon wasn't wearing a haori and hakama colored in red. No. It wasn't Inuyasha. Inuyasha didn't have a fluffy thing thrown over his shoulder.

Everyone stared at the demon that had saved Kagome in shock, but Inuyasha was the only one who could find it in him to say the demon's name.

"Sesshoumaru...?"

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_Coming of Age_

By: Demonsaya

oooooooooooooooooooooo

**5**

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Yes, it was indeed the hanyou's very own unpredictable, full demon brother, who everyone save Inuyasha and the demon himself had nicknamed 'Fluffy' in their minds. Gold eyes were flecked with annoyance as he straightened, easily shaking the wolf-demon's clawed grip off his sword. He glanced towards his brother, arching a fine eyebrow. "You are even more of an idiot than this Sesshoumaru thought, Inuyasha..." He said evenly, his eyes turning towards his brother, then towards his brother's human mate.

Kagome blinked, taking a step back from Sesshoumaru, her eyes wide.

Kouga snarled, glaring at the girl behind the great demon. "Get out of my way, I'm trying to punish my bitch!" He moved closer to Sesshoumaru, making like he was going to push around him.

Sesshoumaru lifted his hand, punching the demon so hard he went flying back and into a tree. Quite litterally. Everyone winced as Kouga struggled to get out of the new hole that he'd made in the trunk.

Inuyasha climbed to his feet, walking towards his brother. He merely looked at him, not trusting his brother entirely, and very unsure of what he was doing here. Inuyasha hadn't smelled him. Perhaps he was traveling downwind of them...? Did that mean-? "Why?" He asked. In one word, he summed up all of his questions.

Sesshoumaru turned a bit, fixing his brother with a disturbingly neutral expression. Then, his eyes turned towards Kagome. "How much did this Sesshoumaru's bastard brother tell you?"

"Tell me about what!" Kagome asked, her eyes narrowing.

A dark look flashed over the demon's face and suddenly he was upon Inuyasha his hand wrapped around the demon's throat. "Did you tell her the consequences of that mark?" His eyes narrowed as his brother's claws dug into the back of his hand. "Did you even ask her first?"

Inuyasha squirmed a bit, unable to speak as his air supply had been officially cut off. He dug his claws into his older brother's hand and forced himself to speak. For his AND Kagome's sake. "Of course...I asked her..."

The taiyoukai frowned briefly then dropped his hanyou brother.

Kagome ran towards her mate, wrapping her arms protectively around him. "Inuyasha!" She glared up at Sesshoumaru, a protective feeling coming up so quickly it surprised her. "What on earth are you talking about? What consequences?"

Sesshoumaru saw the confusion on the girl's face reflected on Inuyasha's and turned to Myouga, his face darkening further. "This Sesshoumaru should kill you here and now, flea..." A pause. "It was your job to make them aware of all the consequences, and you couldn't even do that right?"

Myouga cowered away from the great demon. "I'm sorry, m'lord, Inuyasha didn't really give us much of a chance..."

"He should have been told YEARS AGO!" One hand smashed Myouga paper thin. Then he turned back towards Inuyasha, a disapproving look on his face. "I don't like that you've mated with her without knowing everything...so evidentally it falls upon this Sesshoumaru to explain..."

'Damn...and I'd hoped he would just save me and go away...' Kagome thought idly as they headed to fina a place that was not so open, where the taiyoukai could explain a few of the finer points of the mating ritual to them.

"Start off by telling this Sesshoumaru how much you know about demon mating...?"

Inuyasha growled softly. "Just what ofukuro told me. The flea told me how to mark, that was it."

"So...next to nothing. You have no idea how you've affected her lifespan? What happens to the remaining mate when a mate dies, and the pack responsibilities?"

The hanyou stared at the great demon with a blank expression on his face.

The demon made a tisking sound and found a nice, well guarded clearing. He sat gracefully upon the ground and watched as the hanyou, kitsune, and humans joined him. Kirara paced at the edge of the treeline, as though restless.

"I'll start with the easy part." Sesshoumaru said wearily. "You..." He pointed at Inuyasha. "Are the alpha male in your pack." He gestured to the others. "This has been established for awhile, you are the leader, you are in charge. She..." He pointed at Kagome. "Is your mate, which makes her alpha female, which means she leads when you are incapacitated. Considering you mate is a human...it might be wise to ask her opinion before running headlong into battle, because of how it will affect her."

Kagome saw Inuyasha about to open his mouth and simply shook her head at him, singnaling his silence. "Please continue?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at her briefly. "Your lifespan is probably one of the biggest changes you'll have to deal with. Now that you have demon blood flowing through your veins, however small the amount, you shall share Inuyasha's lifespan. You will age together, at the same rate, till you grow old, and then you'll both die, probably at the same time.

Kagome smiled and glanced at Inuyasha. "I think I like that part."

"Immortality is not as simple as it seems. Most humans go insane from living so long."

The girl tilted her head, frowning at the Taiyoukai. "Are you saying that I'm 'most humans'? Becaues I can assure you I'm not. Most humans would never have agreed to mate with a hanyou, and most humans would have cowered in terror when the demon they just freed tried to kill them to get a stupid jewel." She brushed a bit of dirt off her skirt. "'Most humans' in this era is a prejudiced majority who are scared of demons and treasure their mortal lives so much that they probably fake insanity just so they'll be put out of their misery."

Sesshoumaru examined the girl with a new amount of respect, then turned towards Inuyasha, a ghost of a smile on his face. "This Sesshoumaru approves of your mate."

Inuyasha felt a growl rumble out of his chest. "As if I care if you approve..." He glared in a different direction.

"To why this Sesshoumaru protected your mate..." He gave Inuyasha firm look. "If she'd been killed, you would have likely lost control on your demon blood, Tetsusaiga or not, and slaughtered everything in the area. I can't be certain. Humans and youkai have different reactions to such things. If the youkai was the one to die, usually the human would follow, barring any responsibilities on the humans part, such as pups." He fixed Inuyasha with a glare.

Inuyasha looked away. "Like with my mom?" He asked softly.

"Indeed. It's uncertain why such things happen. I have heard speculation that the human emotions kill the human mate. Usually, even if the mate has pups to protect, they are overwhelmed by their own grief." He fixed Inuyasha with a firm glare. "Which means if you wish for your mate to survive, you're going to learn how to fight, and to fight well, or you will be killed when you are fighting Naraku, and then your mate will die as well."

Kagome swallowed hard.

Inuyasha fisted his hands on his knees. "What makes you so certain that I'll die in the fight against Naraku?" He asked softly.

"Inuyasha, this Sesshoumaru is aware of the lengths that you are willing to go for that girl. I have seen them myself. I remember you learned the secret to Tetsusaiga's transformation because of your desire to protect her. The one time that I was actually able to take Tetsusaiga from you, you nearly gave your life as forfeit for hers. Do not think I don't know that you allowed your demon blood take over the first time because you feared she would die."

Inuyasha looked away, his face having darkened into a mild blush.

"This Sesshoumaru knows you would die for her. However, as her mate, you must be willing to live for her as well." He paused, his face serious. "This Sesshoumaru will teach you what you need to know in order to defend yourself, and your pack." He glanced towards Kagome. "After I do, it is the alpha's responsibility to teach them, your mate included." Sesshoumaru stood. "We shall start now."

Inuyasha stood as well, glancing towards Kagome, his face serious. "Call me if anything happens."

She nodded, giving him a brave smile.

He squeezed her hand gently, then followed Sesshoumaru into the trees. When he'd caught up to the older demon, Seshsoumaru paused.

"This Sesshoumaru is not certain what will become of you should your mate die. No hanyou has lived to take a mate before. I assume that your demon blood would take over, however, that might not happen. Your human emotions could break, and you could follow the human path, or you could follow the demon's path and simply go numb."

Inuyasha glanced towards him, confused. "Numb?"

"The price a demon pays for immortality is the ability to feel emotion. You could say the price paid is the demon's heart. I have only seen this when humans and demons mate, but often, the human is the key to unlocking the demon's emotions. Their mate gives them the ability to feel things such as love. Happiness. If the mate were to die, it would be like someone reached into the demon and flipped a switch, and suddenly, they can no longer feel." There was a pause. "Some go insane."

Inuyasha wasn't as stupid as he sometimes let on and glanced away. "Which is why the human shares the demon's lifespan." He finished for his brother, glancing away. "I guess I feel bad for Kouga, then..."

Sesshoumaru glanced towards Inuyasha, his face serious. "You shouldn't. That rival male is still a danger towards you. You must kill him at the next opportunity."

The hanyou stared into nothing, then turned towards his brother. "Let's begin." He had barely drawn a breath when his brother attacked.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

The pair had disappeared deeper into the woods just after that, leaving Kagome and Miroku to sit vigilantly to watch over the pack. Kagome sensed something strange about Sango while they sat as they were and after a moment, it clicked.

Sango's soul was growing.

Kagome's eyes widened and she glanced towards Miroku, who was busy eying the treeline as though a hoard of demons were about to burst from them and try to make them their dinner.

The girl settled back to observe her friends for awhile, noticing the small differences in the way they acted around each other. Miroku would find reasons to touch Sango, like to pull a non-existent leaf from her hair or brush some invisible dirt from her cheek. Kagome had realized long ago the pair loved each other, and evidentially, Inuyasha was right. They had slept with each other.

Sango was gazing at Miroku with the eyes of a spurned lover, and Kagome wondered what had transpired between the pair, besides sex. It was obvious they were trying to act as though nothing had happened, but Kagome had learned long ago, that when you share something with someone, you never forget a moment of it. Just like she hadn't forgotten any of the times where she and Inuyasha had shared moments.

Finally, she walked towards Sango and sat beside her. "Want to talk about it?"

Sango jumped in shock. She'd been so deep in thought, she hadn't heard the younger girl approach. "Kagome-chan..." She blushed, looking away. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Uso." Kagome said softly, putting her arms around the girl's shoulders, much as Sango had done for her all those times she'd cried over Inuyasha. "I've seen that expression on my face entirely too much not to know what's wrong. Besides, Inuyasha and I already know what transpired beside the well the day we returned. He could smell your scents all over each other. You two made love, didn't you..." She saw the tears in her friends eyes and blinked. "Sango?"

"It was just a one night stand, Kagome. Nothing will ever come of it. Miroku said so himself. We love each other, but we can never be together..." Sango blinked back the tears, accidentally freeing one to fall down her face.

Kagome glanced towards the monk and found him looking at them. Upon being caught, he quickly looked away. "Sango, something did come of it. Something that will make itself evident in the months to come..." She gave her friend a reassuring hug. "Sango, you're pregnant." She whispered softly.

Sango's heart jumped clear into her throat. "What?" She whispered, looking at Kagome, her eyes wide. "I'm...what!"

Kagome smiled at her. "Your soul has grown. It's growing to make a soul for the baby inside you." She released her friend and stood. "You should tell him. He deserves to know. It IS his child, after all..."

Sango watched Kagome walk away and covered her mouth, trying to get over her shock. 'I'm pregnant...I'm pregnant with Miroku's child...' She watched as Kagome sat down and began playing with Shippou. A moment later, she stood, walking towards the priest, where she sat down beside him. She felt his curious gaze on her, but didn't speak. Not yet. She still wasn't sure how to tell him.

Miroku looked up when Sango sat beside him, his eyes widening a bit. "Sango-sama..." He said softly.

"I thought I told you not to call me 'sama'." She said softly, not looking at him yet. She pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "Miroku, we need to talk...about what happened the other night..."

He paled, looking away. "I thought we agreed that we shouldn't do that. You said so yourself, it was just for that one evening...and we would never speak of it again-"

"Things have changed Miroku."

He blinked at the soft, yet serious quality of her voice. He swallowed hard, looking at the ground, his hands fisting on his knees. "Sango-"

"I'm pregnant, Miroku." She said evenly. "Kagome said she could see my soul growing to make one for the baby. You're the only person I've ever had sex with, Miroku, so it's yours."

The priest nearly choked. "P-pregnant?" His heart soared in his chest. 'She's pregnant with my child...she's going to have my child...but...' As quickly as his heart had soared, it plummeted into his stomach. 'If she gives birth to it...it's Kazaana will swallow her...' "Oh..." He said softly.

Sango watched the play of emotions on his face and was more than slightly disappointed when his face fell. Her heart cracked and she looked away. "I thought you would be happier..." She said softly, her hands balling into two fists.

"This...is not how I wanted this to happen..." He said softly. "It was only supposed to be one night, to satisfy your...curiosity." He looked away from her, forcing himself to sound cold, sterile.

Anger was beginning to fill her. One couldn't see it unless they looked at her fists, which were now white-knuckled, her nails biting furiously into her skin.

"Maybe...maybe you should go to Kaede-sama when we return to the village and acquire an herb to abort the child..."

Sango stood abruptly. "I never asked for your opinion. I'm only telling you because you should know, being the father and all." She felt a trickle of blood drip down her knuckle and she turned away from him. "This is the last time we'll speak of it, Miroku-sama." She put the formal ending back onto his name, and began walking back towards the campfire, and her friend.

The priest put his hand to his face, crying internally at the formal way she said his name, at the distance she was putting between them. It was his fault. If he had welcomed her and the child with open arms, she may still be sitting at his side. If he hadn't suggested that she kill the child that would kill her, she would still be beside him. He felt pain grasp his heart and put a hand over it. 'I'm sorry, Sango...I love you...'

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"She doesn't love me..." Kouga walked slowly along the road, finally having conceded defeat to the hanyou when he had dislodged himself from the tree Sesshoumaru had sent him into. He was now returning to his pack, returning to Ayame, who had always loved him. When had he become so blind that he turned his back on the demon who was completely willing to be his mate?

The sword at his side rubbed against his hip, irritating him. Why had he fallen in love with a human woman? More importantly, with a woman who was very obviously in love with someone else? He had planned to mate her, to take her as his without her permission, to force her to remain by his side.

"I don't deserve her...I deserve to die for even considering such a thing..." That thought made him pause. 'Death...that would be a quick way out of this pain...I would never have to see her with that half-breed again...' He closed his eyes, kneeling on the ground, drawing his sword, staring at the shiny steel with hope. 'I could die...and then I could forget about her...' He closed his eyes, turning the blade, resting the point just below his diaphram, preparing to stab himself through the stomach.

"What manner of pain would send such a strong demon on his knees, with a knife to his belly?"

Kouga's eyes snapped open and he found himself gazing at his worst enemy. "Naraku..." He snarled, drawing the sword away and preparing to attack the demon.

Naraku raised his hand in 'peace'. "Now, now. Don't go attacking prematurely. I'm merely offering you another way out. A way to forget you ever loved that human girl...a way to destroy the one who stole her away from you..." The hanyou saw the demon's face twitch and smiled wickedly. He stretched out his hand, uncurling it from the fist it was in. "Shikon shards? There are six here...that should be enough to destroy that hanyou who stole away the girl you loved..."

Kouga takes a deep breath, considering this. 'When you make a deal with the devil...so to speak...you should think like you're playing a game of chess. Consider all the moves and take the best one.' He reached out, taking the shards. "Sorta overkill, isn't it...?" Kouga, asked, his eyes darkening.

"Three didn't kill him, did they? Sometimes, overkill is your best option..."

Kouga pressed a shard into either arm, one into either leg, one into his chest and the final one into his forhead. He winced in pain as the shard's energy infused with his body and looked towards Naraku, his face serious. "Leave Inuyasha to me. I'll destroy him myself. And keep your hands off Kagome. She's mine."

Naraku smiled. "But of course..." He disappeared into a sparkle of light.

Kouga watched him go, his hands clenching into fists. 'That bastard has something planned. He probably hopes to get rid of both of us, then take Kagome's shard...' He frowned deeply. 'Okay, Naraku, I'll work for you for now, but the first hint that you'll betray me...I'll kill you myself...'

oooooooooooooooooooooo

The priestess watched the scene with a calm expression. Really, Kikyou had no expression besides calm. Inside, however, her heart was in turmoil. She loved Inuyasha still. Loved him like her lungs craved the air. She took a steadying breath.

But he'd rejected her, as the girl had rejected the wolf demon. A deep breath escaped her and she clenched her hands into fists. Yet, somehow, she couldn't find it in herself to hate him as the wolf demon had turned to hatred.

If anything, she found herself unable to...feel.

It was as if she had gone numb.

She closed her eyes and sighed, realizing that the wolf fully intended to kill the man she'd loved, the man she found she couldn't hate, despite his rejection.

After all, she was dead. How could a dead woman ever expect to hold the love of a man who's heart beat in his chest. How she hold his heart, when there was a woman who was beside him, loving him openly, not afraid of the demon blood in his veins, who loved him despite his mixed blood. Such a thing was rare in this time.

How could he have not have fallen in love with Kagome?

These thoughts were not unfamiliar to the undead priestess. After all, when Inuyasha had come to her the last time, asking her to stay away from him and Kagome, she had considered revenge. She had considered killing her living reflection and claiming the rest of her soul.

But then, not a week after the last time she'd seen Inuyasha, she'd come across a pair in the forest. The woman was begging for him to return to him, and the man had declared that he didn't love her, that he was in love with someone else.

The man was the wolf demon who had just been trapped in another of Naraku's troublesome webs.

The other was also a wolf demon, a pretty young girl with auburn hair. A girl the wolf had called Ayame. The girl had been crushed, but she didn't respond with feelings of anger towards either the wolf, or the girl Kouga loved.

Kagome.

What was it about her that caused men to love her, while other women were left abandoned by the men they loved?

Slowly, Kikyou turned towards where she'd seen the hanyou and his friends make camp and set her sights on a girl with a face identical to her own. "I must speak with that girl..."

As she walked through the forest, memories of her times with Inuyasha came flooding back to her. The long afternoons they would spend, hunting rouge youkai down in his forest. Patching the wounds he received due to inexperience in fighting. The time he hugged her beneath Go Shinboku and agreed to become a human for her. Each memory was tarnished by a stronger memory, a fresher memory, of a hanyou looking at her with a serious expression and asking her to stay away from him and Kagome.

She closed her eyes, resting her hand over her heart.

No, there was no animosity towards the girl in her heart. There was none towards Inuyasha any longer either. There was just a strange emptiness there, where her heart once rested. An emptiness that reminded her that although she was just a soulless doll, she was still capable of emotion, of feeling.

She wasn't sure why she sought out Kagome, rather than Inuyasha, but as she continued on, she realized her reason. Kagome was the only one who could free her from this farce of a body. She could free her of this life of pain, this life that she would now have to live alone, without the only man who she had ever loved, the only man who'd ever loved her.

She closed her eyes, and stood at the edge of the clearing, knowing that Kagome would sense her.

Sure enough, the girl's eyes darted directly towards her, less than a moment after Kikyou had reached the edge of the clearing. She saw her excuse herself, saying she needed to relieve herself, but Kikyou knew the truth. The girl was coming to her.

And she wasn't scared.

When the girl stepped into the tree line, Kikyou merely held a finger to her lips and pointed. The girl looked at her for a long moment, then nodded.

Kikyou was startled how easily the girl trusted her, and almost smiled.

When they reached a small cave, Kikyou ushered her inside. Kagome turned towards her, her face serious. "Inuyasha told you not to approach us anymore, yet here you are..." Kagome said softly, glancing away.

"You wish to know my intentions..." Kikyou said evenly, and the girl nodded. Kikyou looked towards the wall, taking a deep breath. "I grow weary of Naraku's trickery. Weary as anyone else has grown, but probably more so, being one of the first to be led into one of his webs. I failed to believe in the man I loved." She closed her eyes, touching the stone wall, remembering. After a moment, she turned towards Kagome, her face serious.

Kagome remained silent, merely looking at her. Then, she spoke. "You hurt him." She said softly.

The miko nodded in agreement. "I regret it. I wish to...repent, so to speak..."

Kagome took a deep breath. "You no longer wish to take Inuyasha to hell?"

"If he offered, I would not refuse it." Kikyou said honestly. "But he will not, so I will not." She looked at her reincarnation, her face hardening. "Naraku has given the wolf demon six shikon shards. The wolf plans to use them to kill Inuyasha." Kikyou looked away. "Kagome...once Inuyasha is out of the way, nothing can stop Naraku. He will gain your shikon shard, and if you're lucky, he'll kill you."

Nausea fought it's way into Kagome's throat. It was as she'd always feared. In gaining Inuyasha, she had lost a precious friend, a friend who had decided to take the easy path, the path that was covered in Naraku's webs. She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because when Naraku dies, I will be finally able to rest. My body will return to the earth, all the souls I've trapped in this fake body...will be freed...and the rest of your soul will return to you." The woman closed her eyes, resting a hand over her heart. "And then, five hundred years later, I will be reborn into a girl, who will fall through a well, and release a boy that I once sealed..."

Kagome's eyes widened when she saw a tear roll down the miko's cheek. "Kikyou..."

"And she will heal a heart I could not." Kikyou lifted her gaze, unashamed. "Naraku will be defeated by your single shard. That one shard...is special. It is the piece that is closest to the center of Midoriko's heart. An attack, while normally less powerful, infused with the power of that shikon shard...will destroy Naraku."

"But you'll die..." Kagome's brow creased.

Kikyou smiled. "I was bound to die, anyways." She stepped towards Kagome and took the girl's hands. "Destroy Naraku. Free me from this body...and give me peace."

Kagome stared at her. It could be a trap, but somehow, Kagome doubted it. She closed her eyes, and slowly nodded. "I will."

The woman closed her eyes and smiled, releasing the girl's hands. She turned towards the entrance of the gave and began to walk away. At the cave's entrance, she paused, glancing back at her. "Thank you, Kagome."

The girl blinked. "Isn't this a little premature? We haven't defeated him yet..."

"I wasn't thanking you for that. I will when the time comes. I'm thanking you...for doing something that I never could...for trusting him...healing him. Make him happy, because I never could." She smiled, a true smile, then disappeared from the cave.

Kagome watched her go, her face serious. "You're welcome." She said softly.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_AN: Sorry about how short this chapter was. I wanted it to be longer, but this seemed like a good place to end it. People keep telling me that I'm evil for all my cliffies, so I decided to leave of without one this chapter, and this was a good place to end. Hope you all are enjoying the story thus far. P.S.-Kouga-lovers, don't loose hope yet. I've got something planned for all of this, and he won't be evil forever...I don't think, anyways! Love peace and donuts and I'll see you next chapter!_


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: This story is now available on MediaMiner. It will remain, however, lemon free, so to those of you who were hoping that there would be graphic, wild animal sex in this story, I'm sorry. I really don't see the need to get graphic when It's blatantly obvious what they're doing. I'd prefer keeping this story at it's below NC-17 rating. Use your imaginations. It's more fun that way, I promise. **Wink wink**_

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_Coming of Age_

By: Demonsaya

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**6**

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Inuyasha inhaled deeply, slumped against a tree, on the edge of where Sesshoumaru had just spent the better part of an hour kicking the crap out of him. He let his head fall back against the tree and glanced towards his barely winded older brother. "You're...a pain in the ass..." He heaved, closing his eyes.

"Indeed. The same could be said for you." Sesshoumaru sat on the ground, waiting for Inuyasha's strength to return to him. The hanyou was dripping with sweat, his cheeks flushed from exhertion. His silver hair was plastered against his face, his clothing clinging to his body. The youkai felt a twinge of annoyance. He had never fully understood what girls liked about is brother. The hanyou was rather unrefined, coarse, and really didn't know how to treat a lady, yet here he was, mated long before the youkai himself had taken a mate.

Inuyasha glared at his brother, who didn't have a drop of sweat on him. "What?" He snapped, upon seeing the older demon examining him closely.

Sesshoumaru looked away, lifting his face to the dwindling daylight. He didn't reply to his brother's rather peevish question, choosing instead to relax and concentrate on regaining his strength. Although he wasn't drenched with sweat as his brother was, fighting Inuyasha was always a trying experience. It was probably because the hanyou was so used to fighting, he was quick to adapt his body to new circumstances in any fight.

He had seen it often. He threw a glance towards the still panting hanyou and nearly let out a very uncharacteristic snort. In their first fight after his younger brother's seal was broken, when he'd lost his arm, his brother had shown this ability. Quite accidentally, he discovered the secret to transform Tetsusaiga. Then again, later, learning the secret of Kaze no Kizu, then accidentally discovering the secret of Bakuryuha. Indeed, what Inuyasha lacked in skill, he made up in sheer force of will and battle sense, probably from being hunted as a pup.

The taiyoukai could still remember the first time he'd seen the young hanyou. He had been barely 150 years old and his father had placed the newborn pup in his arms and told him the red-faced, deafeningly loud infant that looked like it had recently been rolling in his mother's smegma, was his brother. Sesshoumaru, being the adolescent he was, asked the first thing that came to mind.

"Can't you put it back?"

That time, Sesshoumaru _did_ snort at the memory. It was such an uncharacteristic thing for him to say, even back then. He had always thought more about the importance of action, rather than words, but looking back, it sounded like something Inuyasha would say. From that moment on, there had been a love-hate relationship between him and his brother. Love-hate in that they loved to hate each other.

Inuyasha heard the snort and glanced towards his brother with an arched eyebrow. "Oi, Sesshoumaru...did you just...snort?" He asked, noting the rather far-away look on his brother's face.

"It would appear so." Sesshoumaru replied. He paused, glancing at his brother. "Do you remember when you were a pup and you tried on father's armor?" He asked, an almost amused tone in his voice.

The hanyou blushed, glaring at his brother. "You're the bastard who dared me to do it. And of course I fucking remember. I think the whole manor about died of laughter." He scowled, looking off into a different direction.

"Hm." Sesshoumaru agreed. "Father had a fit. We both got sent to our rooms and told that we couldn't leave them until we 'grew up'."

Inuyasha looked at his brother in surprise. Then, a smirk appeared on his face. "And I asked if we couldn't come out till we were grown ups, when would we eat."

The taiyoukai snorted again. "You always did think with your stomach." He said, standing gracefully. He glanced towards his brother and gestured for him to stand. "We will continue with your training."

Slowly, his brother stood, the bright red haori standing out against the dark brown and green of the trees. "Sure, why not." Inuyasha agreed, cracking his neck and rotating his shoulders.

"This time, you will not use Tetsusaiga."

The hanyou nodded in agreement and lunged for his brother.

Less than half an hour of attacking and defending later, the direction of the wind changed and Inuyasha caught the scent of someone he did _not_ want to see right then. He froze, looking towards the direction of the scent. He never even saw the blow coming.

Sesshoumaru's fist connected with his face and he went flying back into a tree. Pain seared through his brain as it slammed into the trunk and he slid down to the ground slowly, holding onto it. He felt a blood trickle from the corner of his mouth and winced, putting a hand to the back of his head.

"Inuyasha!" Sesshoumaru chastised. "You should have seen that coming a mile away! If you do that in the fight against Naraku, he will KILL you. Do you understand! Are you even taking this training seriously!"

"I smell Kikyou." Inuyasha said softly, glancing in the direction of the scent and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. He winced, rubbing his jaw and slowly stood. He glanced towards his brother, his face serious. "If she's nearby, my friends are in danger. I have to get back to camp-"

"The scent is not coming from the camp."

"No, it's not, but my mate's scent mingles with Kikyou's." He snapped, his eyes narrowing. "This isn't the time for a debate!" He began running in the direction of the scent. "You go check on the camp!"

Sesshoumaru watched him go with a neutral expression. "Runs headlong into danger without a backward glance..." The taiyoukai shook his head. "Idiot..." Without another word, he moved gracefully towards the camp.

Inuyasha sprinted through the forest, glancing back and forth, searching for a hint of his mate. "KAGOME!" He called, sniffing the air. There was no distress in his mate's scent, but if Kikyou was nearby, that meant she was still in danger. He snarled softly, then backpedaled as he entered a clearing, and found Kikyou standing in the center, her shinidama-chu surrounding her.

She glanced towards him, a melancholy expression on her face. "I knew you would come here. It is not me you seek, though." She walked towards him, and gave him a sad smile. "Hello, Inuyasha." She said softly.

"I told you not to appear before Kagome and I again..." Inuyasha said softly. He looked away from her, his nose searching for a hint of his mate's scent.

Kikyou nodded. "I did not come to harm you or your mate. Yes, I know the deed has been done, Inuyasha. Yet, she is still able to purify the shikon no tama." She stopped a few steps away from him. "I used to think it was odd. How could she love a hanyou and still retain her ability to purify the jewel. How could someone who loved something so tainted be so pure?" She saw him stiffen and looked away. "Then I realized that her powers draw upon the strength of that love."

He saw the sad expression on the miko's face and didn't smell any malice on her. "Why are you here, Kikyou?"

"I brought information dealing with Naraku to your mate. She is waiting for you in a cave not far from here..." She paused, glancing back at him. "I am sorry, Inuyasha." She said after a long pause.

His eyes shot wide. Why was Kikyou apologizing? Why was she helping them and treating Kagome like her equal? "Kikyou-"

"I failed you all those years ago. The one thing I wanted to do was heal your heart, and I failed in doing that. All I managed to do was cause more pain with my distrust. I should have trusted you as she does. I should have known that you would not do that-"

Inuyasha grabbed her and pulled her into his embrace. "Shut up!" He whispered fiercely. "I am as much to blame as you. I didn't trust you either. We...we were easy targets for Naraku's trickery."

Kikyou pushed him away gently, lifting her eyes to his. "I wanted to give this information to Kagome and..." She hesitated. "I wanted to say goodbye to you. It isn't something I wanted to do in front of her." She glanced away. "She loves you. You deserve to be loved completely. You always have." She pushed up on her toes, pressing her lips gently against his cheek, caressing the opposite with the back of her hand.

Inuyasha was stunned. He could feel an odd patch of warmth from Kikyou's chest, where Naraku had once pierced through her. When she pulled back, his brow creased in confusion. "Kikyou?"

"I free you, Inuyasha, from your promises. Love her, live for her." She smiled, and her shinidama-chu surrounded her, lifting her into the air. "Goodbye, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha watched her go, his eyes sad. He was finally free from his obligation to follow her to hell. He was free to live with his mate and be with her as long as they both lived. Yet, in achieving this, his first love was left alone. He waited until he could no longer see the glow of the dead miko's youkai and then lifted his nose, seeking his mate's scent. When he found it, he raced towards it, his mind reeling from shock.

The past twenty four hours had taken their tole on him. Just the night before, Kagome consented to be his mate, rejecting Kouga and all others in the same breath. Now, Kikyou had freed him, and he was able to love Kagome freely, openly. He'd never had that with Kikyou. Kikyou had always wanted to hide. She had never held him, touched him. She had loved him, but deep down, she'd always feared what he was inside, and wanted to change him. He had loved her and desperately wanted someone to save him from the loneliness, so he was willing to change.

Kagome didn't ask him to change. She loved him as he was, even as a weak hanyou. She watched over him on his human nights. She cried out to him when he was in danger and when his demon blood took over.

She wasn't afraid of him.

He reached the cave, and ran in, calling out to his mate. "Kagome!"

There she was, sitting against the cave wall, her knees pulled to her chest, arms wrapped around her legs, her chin resting against her knees. She looked up, startled when he rushed towards her and straightened, opening her arms to him. He fell to his knees and wrapped himself around her, burying his nose into her hair. "Kagome..." He whispered, feeling her arms close around his back, her hands resting flat against him.

Kagome smiled a bit, resting her head on his shoulder. "Kikyou...went to see you, didn't she." She said softly, feeling, oddly enough, no jealousy. It was as if a strange sort of peace had washed over her.

Inuyasha pulled back and nodded slightly. "She came to say goodbye." He said softly. "She set me free..." He stared down at her, his eyes joyful. There was a small smile on Kagome's face, and so much love in her eyes, he wondered how he'd never noticed before. Without a word, he crushed her to him, breathing in her wonderful scent. He frowned, however, smelling mild distress and sadness on her. "Kagome, what's wrong?" He asked softly, stroking her hair in a loving manner. "Are you upset that I saw Kikyou?" He began to pull back, his brow creased in worry.

Kagome shook her head. "No, it's not that..." She leaned back against the wall, glancing towards the entrance of the cave. "Kikyou said that Kouga is working with Naraku now..." She said weakly. "That he's given Kouga shikon shards." She heard Inuyasha's growl and looked at the ground. "I'm worried." She admitted, taking his hands, drawing his attention back to her.

His eyes met hers and he sensed the slight fear inside her. "How many does he have?" Inuyasha asked evenly. He smelled her scent spike and his eyes widened. She remained quiet. "Kagome, how many shards did Naraku give him!"

"Six." She whispered, looking at the ground.

The hanyou sucked in a sharp breath. "SIX!" He whispered. "Why the hell would Naraku surrender so many shards to someone who sometimes acts as our Ally!" He looked at the ground, then his eyes snapped back towards his mate. "Kagome-"

"He's using Kouga's desire for me to get rid of you." She said softly. "If you're dead, then Naraku has no one to challenge him. I can't fire through his barrier, only Kikyou can do that. Only Kongou shou ha can cut through it." She looked at the ground. "I don't want to lose you, but Kouga is my friend..."

He nodded, brushing a strand of hair back from her face. "If Kouga poses a threat to you, I will kill him without a second thought." He whispered to her, cupping her face gently. "You are my mate." He forced her to meet his gaze. "I will take no joy in killing him, but if you're put in danger, I will do it."

Kagome smiled sadly. "I know you would." She leaned towards him, gently kissing his lips. "I just hope we can talk some sense into him."

He didn't want to talk about this anymore. He gave her a small, almost timid smile, leaning towards her, pressing his lips against the mark on her shoulder. He felt her involuntarily arch against him and smiled a bit. "Don't worry about it yet. Kouga's an idiot, but he's not completely stupid. I'm sure we wont have to fight him, so just relax for now..." He murmured against her skin, removing his haori and laying it out on the ground before gently resting her against it. At first he merely cuddled up beside her, his eyes closed, enjoying the way her scent wrapped around him like a blanket. He felt her lips lightly touch his and he sighed, lacing his fingers though the black silk of her hair and rolling her so she was beneath him.

Kagome smiled gently up at him, lifting her hand and gently stroking his face. She wanted to hear him say it. She wanted to say the words he hadn't said yet. However, oddly enough, she was afraid to hear them. Hearing them opened her up for wounds in her heart and she wasn't sure what she would do if he did say them, so she kept her mouth shut until his lips descended upon hers and she telegraphed her love for him with her body, with her heart.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

The sound of birds woke Inuyasha the next morning, and he snuggled closer to the warm woman who lay beside him. He buried his nose deep into her hair, smelling her sweet scent as well as the scent of sex. A wicked grin turned up the corners of his mouth. The two scents combined and made her normal scent even more intoxicating than normal. Yet, if they were going to be traveling with Sesshoumaru, it would be best if they both bathed.

He scowled, rising to his feet and glancing out the cave entrance, sniffing for the scent of a hot spring. He didn't like water particularly much, but bathing was a necessity. If only he didn't have to do it to clean the scent of their fun off of them. With a soft sigh, he moved back into the cave and roused his mate. She mumbled sleepily and pulled the haori over her head.

"Come on, Kagome, it's morning, we have to head out..."

"Just five more minutes...Can't work wait?"

The hanyou chuckled, scooping up her scattered clothing and then his own, pulling his on and picking up Kagome still wrapped up in his haori. He let her continue to sleep as he walked towards the hot spring and upon reaching it, dipped a toe into it, testing the water. He hissed softly, then unwrapped his mate, slowly setting her in the water.

She actually purred as she was immersed and she began to wake slowly. By the time she was fully conscious, Inuyasha was naked and in the water with her, doing his best to wash himself without soap. She looked at him with adoring eyes and smiled a bit. Sunlight glistened off his silver hair and his tanned skin. She could see each muscle ripple as he moved, and withheld a shudder from the power he seemed to exude. "You are so beautiful..." She said softly, moving towards him and wrapped her arms around him.

He looked towards her and arched an eyebrow. "Isn't that my line." He teased softly, cupping her face between his palms and leaning down, placing a chaste kiss on her lips. He heard her soft sigh and felt the familiar stirrings around his loins and moaned softly. "Dammit, woman, if we're going to get any shard hunting done, you have to stop sighing like that." He growled in warning.

"Do we have to hunt for shards though? Can't I just have you to myself all day?" She saw the rather pleased look on his face and pressed up onto her tip toes to kiss him again, but his hands on her arms stopped her. Her heart fell and she bit her lip, looking away.

"As much as I would love to do that all day, we have a job to do, and we HAVE to do it." He saw the disappointment on her face and smiled a bit, chucking her chin with his index finger. "Hey, there's tonight and tomorrow night. Trust me, I'm not tired of you. I don't think I'll ever get tired of you." He kissed her lips, her neck, and her mark, then straightened. "Come on, we need to get back to camp and tell the other's what Kikyou told you." He said softly.

Kagome got a determined look on her face and nodded and he just had to smile; she looked too cute like that. "Okay." She said, then climbed out of the water, leaving him with a perfect view of her backside. She heard a throaty growl behind her and glanced back, seeing him pointedly looking away. She paused, realizing that she was bent over, retrieving her panties, and technically presenting herself to him. She blushed and knelt instead. "Sorry." She said softly.

He left the water, running his hands firmly over himself, slicing the water from his body. "Don't worry about it, Kagome. It's not like I mind seeing you bent over." He teased. "Reminds me of yesterday in your shower." He watched her cheeks flame up dark red and pulled on his yukatta, followed by his hakama. He waited till she was finished dressing and extended a hand towards her. "Come on, let's head back." He said softly, his eyes gazing upon her with a strange gentleness.

She smiled, placing her hand in his and letting him pull her to her feet. As they walked side by side, she asked him about his training with Sesshoumaru and the hanyou smiled.

He didn't release her hand as they walked.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Sango woke the next morning and the first thing she did was open a bottle of water and drain it. It wasn't that she was particularly thirsty, but knowing she was pregnant made her extremely cautious. The night before, she'd been careful to eat a lot of meat and vegetables, trying to make sure the child within her got proper nutrients.

Miroku watched her silently, his face nearly melancholy. He heard a rustle in the bushes and his hand went immediately to his staff, preparing to guard the woman who was pregnant with his child to the death if needs be. He was relieved to see it was only Inuyasha.

The hanyou entered the clearing with his mate, still joined at the hands. He looked around cautiously, sniffing the air. "Where is Sesshoumaru?" He asked evenly.

Sango answered. "He came last night, looked around, then disappeared. We haven't seen him since."

The hanyou snorted. "I'm not surprised. He probably doesn't want his status lowered by being seen traveling with humans and hanyou." He shouldered Kagome's pack, glancing towards her, his eyes softening just a bit. "There's a village up the road aways. We can get food there. Sango will need a lot of food for her pup."

The taijiya blushed darkly, then gave Kagome an accusing look. The girl merely held up her hands and shook her head, pointing at her nose then back at Inuyasha. "Does EVERYONE know that I'm pregnant now?" Sango asked, frowning deeply.

Miroku glanced away, his face sad. He had to hurry up and defeat Naraku faster now. He only had a few months before his child would be born and the woman he loved sucked into the baby's kazanaa. He watched as the others prepared to head out and moved towards Sango, offering his hand so she could get up.

She looked up at him in surprise, and slowly took his hand. She allowed him to pull her to her feet and blushed faintly, glancing away. When she was upright, she tried to tug her hands away from his, but he didn't release her, and she met his gaze, seeing sadness and something else. Her eyes widened and she knew they would talk later.

Kagome watched the pair closely, scooping up Shippou in one arm. She glanced towards her mate, then gestured towards Sango and Miroku, who were lost in their own world and saw him almost smile, an approving expression on his face.

The hanyou squeezed her hand and they began walking towards the village, each person lost in their own thoughts.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Bright blue eyes watched the small group leaving. The demon's breath left him raggedly, his eyes narrowed with fury, noting how his woman was being casually touched by the dog-demon. He ground his teeth together, his claws biting into his palm. Each hand glowed with a shikon shard, as did his forehead, his chest, and each leg had four.

They would never even see him coming.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Ayumi sat at her desk, listening carefully to the rumors going around. Rumors about her best friend sleeping with Hojo. Rumors that she hadn't been a virgin when they'd had sex. She fisted her small hands on the flat surface and looked to Yuka and Eri, who looked uncomfortable as several girls asked if the rumors were true.

Neither of them knew. They didn't know that Kagome was mated to a half-demon. They thought she was merely engaged. She couldn't tell them, Kagome didn't trust them. Somehow, she had to reach Kagome and let her know that Hojo was trying to spoil her reputation.

She glared darkly at the boy, who was wearing a rather peaceful smile. He looked like that cat who ate the canary and she wanted nothing more than to wipe that confident smile off his face.

Rumors about Inuyasha were flying easily, too. That he was a monster, that he raped Kagome, that Kagome was too afraid of him to fight back and go the the one she really 'loved', who evidentially, Hojo thought was himself.

She was glad when class finally started. Without a word, she wrote a quick note to her two friends, saying she was going to talk to Kagome today. They asked to come along, but she told them not to. This was something only Ayumi could do.

The final class of the day ended and Ayumi ran directly into Hojo on her way out. She saw a look of cool arrogance on his face and glared up at him. "How dare you start all these rumors!" She hissed, her hands fisted at her sides.

He smiled at her, but it wasn't the normal good boy smile he always showed towards Kagome. It was cold, calculating. "If you say a word of this to anyone, I'll find out. You want to keep your family safe, right?" He hooked a finger under her chin, forcing her gaze to his own. "I'm part of one of the oldest families in Japan. I can make your entire family disappear."

She locked gazes with him. "Go to hell, Hojo." She said fiercely. "I'm not afraid of you. I've got something you DON'T on my side." She saw his eyes widen in shock and she smiled a bit coldly as well. "You're nothing, Hojo. Just a spoiled little boy. Kagome can disappear to places you'll never find her." Without a word, she swept past him and walked down the hall, her face set with determination. When she left the school, she pulled out her phone, dialing a number into it and glancing around to make sure no one heard her.

"Ayumi-chan?" The bleary sounding voice asked, telling her he'd been asleep.

"Hi, I need you to meet me at Sunset shrine."

There was a pause. "No, I'll meet you at the school, and I'll drive you there. Hojo's starting something, isn't he?"

"Yeah." She smiled, closing her eyes. "I'll wait by the gate."

"Okay. I'll see you soon."

"Bye."

"Bye, gorgeous."

Ayumi blushed faintly as she hung up her phone. She left through the front gate and bit her lip. The road was deserted. She'd met her friend during summer break while she was working as an intern at a lawyers office. They had become close friends, nearly to the point of being a couple, but he'd said that it was too soon for her to get involved like that with someone like him.

She didn't fully understand what he'd meant at the time, but when Kagome had told her about Inuyasha being a demon, she'd called her friend and asked him what he'd meant by 'someone like him'. They'd met and that's when she'd found out the truth.

He was a demon as well. Evidentially in five hundred years, demons advanced, learning magic that would hide what they really were from humans, magic that they would anchor with a seal onto an object that they would keep on their person. It didn't take away their powers, just created an illusion that anyone without 'sight' couldn't see through.

When they'd next met, he'd allowed her to see what he really looked like.

She felt a cold tingle up her spine and saw Hojo looking at her, walking towards her, an angry expression on his face. She took a steadying breath and fisted her hand around her cellphone. She met his gaze unwaveringly, and when he was right in front of her, she didn't flinch or back down.

They merely stared at each other for a long moment, then Hojo grabbed her by the throat, putting just enough pressure on it that she knew she'd bruise, obstructing her airway just a bit. She didn't wince, she merely stared at him, watching as he raised his other hand and slapped her.

Ayumi ground her teeth together and looked back at him, her face hard. "You're disgusting, Hojo." She said fiercely, feeling spots enter her vision. "You're vile. You don't deserve a girl like Kagome Higurashi." He struck her again, and she bit her lip.

"Well, whether I deserve her or not, I'm going to have her."

"I suggest...that if you don't want me to shove your head through that wall you let Ayumi-chan go."

Hojo did a half turn, finding himself staring at a young man a good bit taller than him who was staring at him through brilliant green eyes. There was a deep fury in his eyes and it caused Hojo to instinctively release Ayumi.

After all, the reason mankind survived as long as it had was because of it's instinct to survive.

Ayumi sucked in a breath and closed her eyes, sliding to the ground. She watched as her friend pushed Hojo out of the way and knelt in front of her. His hand clasped her chin and he gently turned her head to either side. She heard a soft growl deep in his throat.

The young man turned towards Hojo, murder in his eyes. "Run. Run, or I swear by all that's holy, I'll kill you myself."

The boy did as he was told.

Meanwhile, Ayumi's friend gently brushed her hair back, his eyes examining her in concern. "You okay, Ayumi?" He asked, his fingers lightly running over her swollen cheek.

"I'm okay, Shippou-kun. Let's just hurry to Kagome's."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Evidentially, their reputation proceeded them.

When they had entered the village that morning, many people offered them food and supplies. They really had enough for the next few weeks as it was, but it seemed rude to refuse, and none of them thought it would be a good idea to look ungrateful.

As a precaution, Inuyasha didn't hold Kagome's hand while they were in the village, not wanting her to become the target of those who thought that demons and humans shouldn't be together in the way Inuyasha and Kagome were. They moved through that village quickly, asking for rumors of a wolf demon with a lot of shikon shards and for rumors of Naraku or his off spring.

There was a rumor of a wolf demon that had been howling nightly for the past week and they headed off in that direction. Kagome, however, doubted that it was Kouga. Yet, on they traveled, hoping that they were going in the correct direction, having no real way of knowing if they were.

They stopped early for the night and Sesshoumaru appeared again, dragging Inuyasha off to train him some more. They returned a few hours later, and everyone ate dinner, then Inuyasha and Kagome disappeared for another hour of private time. They returned and everyone went to bed, except Inuyasha, who stayed awake, vigilantly watching over his friends. They would reach the village the next day, and he wanted to make sure that they weren't attacked in their sleep.

As soon as the moon rose above the trees, the howling began. Inuyasha winced at the heart-broken sound. He glanced down and saw Kagome down there stirring in her sleep and went to her side. When her eyes opened, he made sure the first thing she saw was him. After a moment, another howl rose through the air and Kagome glanced away from his face and in it's direction.

"It sounds like it's heart's been broken." She whispered sadly.

The hanyou nodded in agreement. "It's calling for it's mate. We'll probably come across it tomorrow. You should rest, Kagome, it's been a long day. Don't worry, I'll watch over you." He promised, giving her a gentle smile.

"I don't know if I can sleep with that sound. I hope the villagers don't attack it, it already sounds pained enough."

Inuyasha nodded in agreement, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her against his chest, holding her there. They sat awake and silent until the howls stopped, then Kagome drifted off to sleep once again.

The next morning, they ate breakfast and got ready to go quickly. Inuyasha told the ones who'd slept through the howling about the noise and said they should hurry, because before sunrise, he'd caught the scent of human blood lust. He suspected that they were tired of the youkai's nightly cries and would try to kill it today.

Upon entering the village, a familiar scent tickled the hanyou's nose and he lifted his head, sniffing closely. "I smell blood..." He told his companions, his brow creasing in concern. They followed the scent to the other side of the village, where they found a mob.

They pushed to the center and finding a young woman with bright auburn hair, stripped naked and tied at her hands and feet, face down in the circle, while a man behind her was whipping her back mercilessly. There were various torture items there as well, including a rack, thumb screws and other things to cause pain senselessly.

Kagome recognized the woman and covered her mouth in shock. She looked towards Inuyasha, who had a dark expression on his face.

The wolf caught their scents and lifted her gaze, tears in her green eyes. "Kagome-san..." She whispered.

That broke him. He could remember suffering this same treatment after his mother died and remembered the lengths he'd gone to escape the humans who'd done it. Without a word, he stepped towards the man with the whip and snatched it out of his hands, pushing him away. He glanced towards Kagome and nodded. Kagome knelt by her hands, pulling a pair of scissors out of her bag and cutting the ropes that bound her.

Ayumi lifted her bruised face and threw her arms around the girl, embracing her tightly and sobbing into her shoulder.

Voices from the crowd rose to object as Inuyasha cut the ropes that bound the girl's feet and he pulled a blanket from Kagome's bag, wrapping it around the demon. Then, he turned towards the crowd, his face furious. "This demon is henceforth under my protection. If one of you villagers harm a hair on her head, I'll see to it that you are dealt with accordingly. I don't like hurting humans. Don't make me."

"I thought you were demon exterminators!" One man objected, moving to the front, his face angry.

"What harm has Ayame done to any of you!" Miroku snapped, moving to his friends side. He watched Sango move towards Ayame to comfort the demon as well.

One woman came forward. "She howls through the night, we can't sleep! If we can't sleep, we can't work! If we can't work, we starve!"

Kagome helped the wolf demon stand, making sure all of her was covered. Then, she looked towards the villagers. Her face wore an expression of disgust. "Only humans would hunt and try to kill something that was disturbing them because it was heartbroken." She said, her face angry. "If you all are upset that we're helping a youkai, then get out of our way, we'll rest outside the village."

The villagers did not interfere when they left. Kirara carried Ayame from the village and they waited till they were almost a kilometer away before they stopped and Kagome began to treat the girl's wounds.

Miroku walked up to Sango and glanced towards the forest. The taijiya nodded and stood, following the monk. Kagome watched them go, her face serious. 'Don't screw up this time, Miroku-sama.' She thought, then went back to treating Ayame's wounds. "What happened?" She asked softly.

Ayame looked at the ground, her face sad. "I went to Kouga...asked him to accept me as his mate..." She squeezed her eyes shut. "He said he didn't love me, he never had. He said he was in love with you." She bit her lip, opening them and looking at Kagome. "I tried to tell him that you loved Inuyasha, but he didn't listen. He kept saying that if you said no, he'd make you be his mate..."

Kagome squeezed Ayame's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know you love him a lot."

The girl nodded, her expression deeply sad. "Can I come with you? I want to see Kouga again, to talk some sense into him. He needs to understand that his pack needs him."

Kagome glanced towards Inuyasha, who was 'guarding' again, then looked back at the wold-princess. "Ayame, there's something you need to know." She looked down at her hands, unsure of how to proceed. "Kouga found out that Inuyasha and I have mated and he went a little crazy, I think. First he attacked us. Then later, we found that he is working with Naraku to kill Inuyasha. He thinks if Inuyasha's dead, I'll pick him."

Ayame's face saddened further. "Kouga you dummy..." She whispered, shaking her head. She looked at Kagome, her green eyes serious. "When we meet with him...let me fight him." She said firmly. "I might be able to get through to him." She gave Kagome a warm smile and looked away, her eyes determined. "I WILL get through to him."

Kagome nodded, resting her hand on the wolf's shoulder, then moving to stand with her mate. She wrapped her arms around him, as he gently pulled her against him. "She took it better than I thought she would." Kagome said softly. She saw the serious expression on Inuyasha's face and frowned a bit.

"Naraku's taint will taint the two shards in his legs. He wont be Kouga when we see him next. It'll be just like with Housenki." He glanced back at the girl, his eyes serious. "He'll try to kill her and with eight shikon shards in his possession now, he'll probably succeed." He looked down at his mate, his expression becoming worried. "He'll kill everything that gets in his way."

Kagome lifted her eyes to look at him, and saw something in his eyes. She pressed up onto her toes and tenderly kissed his lips. "Come on, Inuyasha." She said, gently pulling him into the forest. She saw him resist momentarily, but then he gave into her will. She rested her head on his shoulder and smiled, wrapping her hand around his. "I love you." She said softly as they walked.

He closed his eyes, smiling slightly. "I know." He replied.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Miroku and Sango walked in silence for a little while, till they reached a small stream, then the priest sat, offering his hands to the woman. She took them, sitting beside him, her face wary, but not cold. They sat in silence for a long time. Miroku closed his eyes, trying to think of where to begin. He loved her. He knew that was certain. He loved her more than his life, but she was in danger because of him.

Gently, he reached out and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Sango-"

"You regret it, don't you." She said abruptly, cutting him off. She looked towards him, her eyes sad, pained. "You don't really love me. You just love the idea of me." She sighed heavily, looking across the stream and then moved to stand up, to walk away, but his hand grabbed her wrist and she glanced back at him.

"I love you." He said firmly. He saw the pain on her face and moved towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist, resting his head against her breasts. "I do not regret what we did, but I fear that your life is in danger now because of me. I never wanted that, Sango. I wanted you to be safe." He closed his eyes, holding her tightly. "Please, don't leave me, koishii." He whispered, caressing her back lifting his face to look up at her again.

Sango stared down at him, her eyes swimming with tears. "Miroku..." She whispered.

"I was an idiot. I'm sorry. Perhaps we don't use Inuyasha and Kagome as an example like we should. They have as many obstacles as we, yet they are enjoying the time they have together, while I'm just hesitating..." He pulled her down to his knees, looking down into her eyes. "Would you be my lady, Sango?" He asked softly, his gaze gentle.

The girl blushed and without a word, she threw her arms around Miroku's neck, consequently sending them both crashing to the ground. Sango cried softly against his shoulder, then pressed kisses all over his face. She pulled back, looking down at him. "I was always yours, you idiot." She said softly.

His face lit up and he embraced her tightly. "Sango..."

"I love you, too." She whispered, resting her cheek against his shoulder.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_AN: Another chapter done. Hope it was worth the wait! My husband and I just recently downloaded the end of Inuyasha the anime and it was great. Till the last episode. WTF, people! It goes past that! Oh, well, I guess that just means I have to read the manga on Anyways, thanks to all the people who review this story! You're the one's who keep this story going. I'll try to put up another chapter to Half-Soul this week and possibly another for Kagome, Spirit of Fire. I'll try to start the next chapter of this next week, as well as the next chapter of Inuyasha's Inheritance. P.S.-I'm starting to restructure some of my old stories, and Bringing Kagome Back is one of them. Hopefully, the restructure will get me back on track and I'll be able to finish it. It's the only one that doesn't have a clear ending yet. Anyways, if you read this far, please remember to read and review! Love ya guys! Ja matta, ne!_


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: Yeah, yeah, I know, where the hell have I been and what took me so damn long to get this chapter out! Well, first off, I moved. Again. The beginning has been written for months, but I didn't really know where I wanted to go this chapter, if I wanted to take Kagome home, or if they went straight ahead to the final fight. Now, if you've been to my profile page, you'll notice I've put up a rough time table on when my fanfics will be completed. Some of them I don't really see finished until 2007, and others I see done within the next two to three months. Keep in mind, however, I am pregnant (Once again), and will be moving in with my mom and dad while my hubby is in Iraq, which means another long distance move, so the dates are fluid. However, I plan to have this one finished by July, which will put it exactly one year in the making. Just to make you guys squirm, maybe I'll post the last chapter or epilogue on the 28th (Exactly one year to the day). Anyways, here's the long awaited chapter 7. Love and peace all._

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_Coming of Age_

By: Demonsaya

oooooooooooooooooooooo

**7**

oooooooooooooooooooooo

It wasn't that she wasn't grateful for them saving her. In fact, it was quite the opposite. It wasn't their fault Kouga couldn't see. Or was it that he could, he just didn't want to, so he ignored it? She'd been nothing but loyal to the wolf prince, yet he pretended that she simply didn't exist, treated her like she was nothing.

Ayame stared into the dying embers, silent tears rolling down her face. She didn't blame Kagome for Kouga's blindness. She simply wasn't good enough for him. It was that simple. Her lower lip trembled a bit, upon remembering the news that the man she'd loved had joined forces with Naraku.

She had taken it calmly as she could, forcing her breaths to remain steady. However, afterwards, when everyone had gone to sleep, she had remained at the fireside, as she was tonight, staring into the flames, and crying.

"Oi."

She stiffened, quickly wiping the tears from her face. Slowly, she turned, glancing at the hanyou who was leaning with his back against the tree, his mate snuggled in his arms. "Sorry, did I wake you?" She put on her best smile, trying to pretend nothing was wrong.

Inuyasha glanced away. "You don't have to fake bein' alright for our sakes. We all know how it feels to be betrayed." He muttered, pupils glowing slightly in the firelight.

A soft sigh escaped her and she smiled honestly. Since she had begun traveling with them, she'd quickly learned why Kagome had chosen Inuyasha. Beneath the hard exterior was a kind heart, one that loved Kagome more than any other creature on earth, that treasured every one of his friends. One that wanted nothing more than to see his friends happy.

Kouga was never like that.

He was a spoiled prince, who'd gotten his way every day of his life. He'd never had to earn friends, they'd been granted the day he was born, since he was in the position to demand friendship from anyone. In a position to demand a woman to become his mate.

Perhaps that was what had drawn Kouga to Kagome. Kagome was taken, a challenge, she loved someone else.

Her eyes saddened slightly and she rested her chin on her hands. "I'm not alright, but I will be. What's important right now is destroying Naraku and purifying the jewel, ne?" She worried her lower lip, and frowned slightly.

"I'm inclined to agree."

Ayameglanced towards the older Inuyoukai, who's charge was sleeping, curled up in the furry pelt that was over his shoulder. She had thought he'd been asleep. He was laying against the tree behind him, his eyes closed, his face relaxed.

Inuyasha nodded. "Me too. But Kouga's going to be a pain in the ass. He has too many shikon shards as it is." Worriedly he glanced towards his sleeping mate and friends. "Knowing my bitch, she wont want to hurt Kouga. She did consider him a friend, after all..."

Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow at his brother. "Are you strategizing, hanyou?"

Ayame smiled faintly as Inuyasha glared at his brother. Said hanyou crossed his arms, leaning back against a tree. "At least the odds are a bit better than they used to be. Four fully grown demons, three humans, two pups and a toad...The pups can stay with the toad and your dragonette..."

The female wolf demon chewed on her lip carefully. "I'll deal with Kouga." She said softly. "I'll see if I can get a wolf to contact the tribe and tell them what's happened, just in case I have to bring back his corpse..."

Inuyasha glanced sympathetically towards the girl. "Are you sure you'll be able to do that if you have to?" He asked quietly, his gaze moving towards Kagome. "I don't think I could, when faced with such a situation. I think I would die myself before I could kill her."

Ayame smiled sadly. "No, I'm not, but it's something I have to do. If I can talk him back, I have to try...but if I can't and I die trying, kill him. The Kouga I knew would never want to be the way he is now." She returned her eyes to the dying embers and took a deep breath. "What's our next move?"

The hanyou sighed softly, closing his eyes. "Kagome's fine on supplies, but...since things have changed since we've returned, I think she and I should go back to her world." He took an unsteady breath. "Just in case something happens here, I want to give her the opportunity to say goodbye."

Three pairs demon eyes moved towards the girl who slept snuggled against the hanyou's chest, seemingly uncaring to the world outside her dreams.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome returned to the waking world slowly. It didn't help that she was snuggled against something warm and comfortable, or that something was shading her face from the sun. But her body told her that it was time to wake, so she did so. Beneath her cheek was the coarse red fabric of Inuyasha's haori, his hands were beneath her hind end, supporting her as he walked. His soft hair tickled her face and arms slightly. She smiled and tightened her grip on him.

Inuyasha smiled faintly, patting her hand. "Good morning." He said softly, carefully hiding the fact that he had zero sleep last night.

She kissed the nape of his neck lightly, then straightened, looking around. Sango and Miroku rode on Kirara's back, Shippou sleeping on Sango's lap. Sesshoumaru was walking towards their left, a sleeping Rin riding on the back of his dragonette, Jaken glancing back and forth in a paranoid manner.

Ayame walked to their rear, her expression nervous.

Kagome frowned a bit, glancing down at Inuyasha, who seemed drawn a bit thin himself. "Did something happen?" She asked softly.

"We're heading back to the village for a bit." He said softly. "I thought you'd like to visit your family before we go fight Naraku..." He felt her stiffen and glanced back towards her. There was an expression of tense understanding on her face and she tightened her hold on his neck.

Quietly, she rested her cheek against his shoulder, closing her eyes tightly. This was it. It would be over soon. She hugged his neck tighter and took a shuddering breath. "Thanks."

He lowered his eyes to the ground in front of him, his face serious. Once or twice over the past few days, he'd caught a scent that had spurred him into bringing them all back to the village to begin with. Kouga's scent.

At first, he'd thought it was simply coincidence. Just some lingering scent of him from when he ran off.

But the scent wasn't fading.

It was just far enough away to tell him that Kouga was trying not to get noticed, that he was tracking them, hunting them.

He had to get Kagome out of danger for at least a little while. Besides, he knew that once they returned, the shit would officially hit the fan. He felt his mate tighten her grip around his neck and glanced back at her, finding a mildly tense expression on her face.

"Jyaki..." She explained, her voice tight. "Shikon shards, too." Her face saddened and she rested her cheek against the hanyou's shoulder. "Do you really think we'll be able to pull Kouga back?" She asked softly, staring into the trees.

He shrugged. "I don't know. Wolf is too much use alive rather than dead though, so we have to try. Besides..." His voice lowered so only she could hear him. "No matter what we think, Ayame is going to probably kill herself trying."

Kagome hugged his neck tighter, biting her lip. "I hope it doesn't come to that..."

"Ditto..." The hanyou agreed.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"Tadaima!" Kagome called, walking into the oddly quiet house. She set down her pack and headed towards the kitchen, expecting to find her mother there. Instead, the kitchen was empty, and there was a note taped to the kitchen door.

It was written plainly in her mother's hand writing and the words caused Kagome's insides to go a little cold. "Hojou's causing trouble..." She echoed the words, biting her lip lightly. She felt a clawed hand wrap around hers and held it tightly as she could, like he was her lifeline. "Inuyasha, could you go get changed and grab the hat? I have to call Ayumi and find out what's going on..."

"Are you sure?" He asked softly, lifting her chin to meet her eyes. He saw hard determination in them and a small smile turned up the corners of his mouth. Without a word, he leaned down and softly kissed her, then released her, walking towards the stairs.

Kagome grabbed the phone and quickly dialed her friends cell phone. It rang twice and a tired sounding young man answered. Kagome arched an eyebrow. "Um, is Ayumi there?" She asked evenly.

"She's sleeping..." A pause. "May I ask who's calling."

"I'm Kagome Higurashi."

Another pregnant pause. "Just a second."

Kagome waited patiently, until her friend's weary voice came across the phone line. "Ayumi-chan? I just got home, what's going on?" She knew there was an insistent quality to her voice, which would convey the rest of her message of 'what the hell is that little bastard doing now!'

"Oh..." The voice sounded a bit more awake. She spoke to whoever her companion was, asking him to make her a cup of coffee, then returned to the phone. "Hojou's been spreading some pretty nasty rumors around school. About you and Inuyasha. We went to the shrine, but-"

"We?" Kagome arched an eyebrow.

A hesitation. "My boyfriend and I...went to the shrine, and I filled your mother in. She got all grim looking, and said she could handle most of it, but the rest was on you. He's..." She hesitated. "He's been saying that he's had sex with you and that you weren't a virgin at the time. That you were a slut, and that Inuyasha raped you, but you were too blind to see who you really love."

Kagome's hand tightened into a fist. "Which I assume he believes to be himself." There was a hum of confirmation from her friend. She nodded, then tightened her hand into a fist. "Okay. I'll let you get back to your man, I'll be at school tomorrow, at least I know how they'll be acting." She said goodbye, and after her friend responded in kind, she hung up the phone, her blood on fire from her anger.

She walked upstairs steadily, reaching her room and dug through her closet, barely hearing Inuyasha's concerned questions. She turned towards him, holding a simple blue sun dress in her hands. "I thought so before, but now I know for certain." She began to change quickly. "Hojou is a complete ass." She said evenly, pulling the dress over her head and flipping her hair from the collar.

Inuyasha pulled the red button down over the white t-shirt and sighed, shaking his head. "What did he do?" He asked evenly.

"Oh, he's just saying that I'm a slut and you're a rapist." She said, managing to put a huge amount of fake cheerfulness into her voice.

"WHAT!" Inuyasha snarled, turning towards her, his face livid.

She gently rested her hands on his arms, looking up at him. "Inuyasha, it's going to be fine. As long as we, and those important know it's not the truth, what Hojou says doesn't matter. He may have had a week to spread these rumors, but we can fix everything in a few days."

"How?"

She smiled, looping her arm through his and grabbing her purse. "Well, we can always have you make an appearance at my school to come pick me up..." She bounced up a bit, kissing his cheek, and rested her head on his shoulder. "Just remember to keep Tetsusaiga hidden in a gym bag or something..." She teased lightly, smiling at him.

He slipped his arm around her shoulders and guided her from the small house, pausing only to snatch the hat and let her lock up. "I'll see what I can do, but your mother will probably have to help." He frowned deeply.

Kagome paused, looking towards him. "You've matured, Inuyasha." She said smiling slightly.

"Hm?"

She turned towards him at the top of the stairs, tilting her head to the side. "I still remember when you refused to admit that you might need help, when you..." She smiled, looking at the place on his neck where his mark on her was reflected onto him. "When you pushed everyone away."

His face softened imperceptibly. He moved his free hand to cup her face and lift it to where he could gaze upon it. He searched her eyes and found the pain that still lingered on from when he would push her away. "You mean when I pushed you away?" He whispered, his eyes saddening a bit and he caressed her cheek with his thumb. He watched as her eyes darkened slightly and quickly pulled her to his chest.

He had so much to make up for. So many times when he'd left her, abandoned her, went to Kikyou instead of her. Times when he refused to friendship, her support, her love. And then, suddenly...

She became everything to him. Everything he'd ever needed, wanted, longed for. She became that force that was always there, that reached down and lifted him up when he felt like he would drown in his own guilt, his own sorrow. The girl he argued with because she would fight back, that in the end, he only pushed away because the harder he pushed, the harder she fought against him, trying to stay beside him.

"Saying sorry isn't going to be enough..." He said idly, hugging her closer to him, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Sorry would never be enough...death wouldn't be punishment enough for putting that pain behind your eyes." He miserably clung to her, wanting to take her pain away, but not knowing how. "Why...why did you agree to be my mate, even though I've done so much to make you cry?"

Kagome felt tears gather in her eyes and a small smile turned up the corner of her lips. "Because I love you, and love means forgiveness..." She whispered. "Besides, I did equally as much to hurt you back..."

He squeezed his eyes shut and nodded, knowing that would be her answer. Slowly, he pushed her a short distance away from himself and gave her a small timid smile. "Kagome, may I have the pleasure of escorting you to dinner?" He asked softly, offering her his arm.

Kagome giggled softly and nodded, looping her arm through his as they set off down the stairs, her eyes shining, their brief earlier shadows gone for now.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

When they returned, Kagome's mother was sitting in the kitchen, holding a tea cup, which the scent of alcohol was wafting from. Once Kagome was safely tucked away into her bed, Inuyasha walked downstairs and joined her, sitting across from her, his face serious.

"It's good to see you've both returned uninjured." Her mother said softly, sipping the liquid and letting it burn down her throat.

He nodded. "We're going after Naraku after this visit...I thought Kagome should have some time to finally relax, but it looks like that's not going to happen." He fixed her with a serious gaze. "What's this creep Hojo trying to do?"

The woman's face softened and she saw the determined look on the boy's face and sighed softly, remembering her husband wearing a similar look when her father had tried to contest their marriage. She lowered her eyes. Strange thoughts. "He's gone to administration, saying that she isn't home sick, that she's off whoring herself around Tokyo."

Inuyasha went rigid. He knew enough about Kagome's time and her schooling, that days off were frowned upon, and she missed far more school days than others in the past two years. If the administrators decided to side with Hojo, and the student body already believed him, then Kagome's life here would be completely destroyed, and it was likely that her families reputation would be ruined as well. He looked at the top of the table, his face serious. He couldn't really think of what to do to help her.

"Her grandfather thinks the only way to save the family is for her to marry Hojo, since he's the 'only one who'll have her with that reputation'. I disagreed with him...but he's talking about arranging a marriage with the Hojo clan..." She saw the displeasure on the hanyou's face and her lips turned into a sad smile. "I think...you should take her though the well and keep her there for good, Inuyasha." She said softly.

Inuyasha stared at the tabletop, frowning deeply. "I think...I have an alternative solution." He said softly, then looked at the older woman. "I've been meaning to do something special for Kagome anyways." He played with the ring Kagome had bought for him and lifted his gaze, fixing the older woman with it.

It was the right thing to do. Kagome had been generous to him. More generous than he felt he deserved, and he had to pay her back for her love and kindness. She had given him a mark to show human women that he was hers, but he had no visual claim in this time, and that proved a danger to Kagome. He chewed his lips, uncertain of how to tell the girl's mother his idea.

He'd been quiet for over a minute. It was starting to make the older woman nervous. "Inuyasha?" She asked softly, leaning towards him. "What is your plan?"

"I'll marry Kagome." He said firmly, his face completely serious. "I'll be the first to admit that she deserves better than me, but she took me as I am. I will protect her, and I will protect her reputation. She's a good woman, a great woman, and she doesn't deserve to be slandered like this."

The woman saw his serious expression and sucked in a soft breath. There was something in his eyes. Something familiar. A fierceness, a caring that went deeper than just trust and friendship. This boy honestly loved her daughter. She smiled a bit, finding that the boy who was once so obstinate and cold was now the opposites, his soul practically burning with a need to protect her daughter. "You know we'll have to keep it between us until the day you decide to do the deed."

He nodded. "Kagome said...marraige doesn't work the same here as in my time. In my time, two people just have a little ceremony, and they're married by a local priest or priestess..."

The older woman nodded. "Don't worry, I'll go to the court house and handle the paper work. Ayumi's boyfriend works there and should be able to help. Tomorrow, while she's at school, I'll take you looking for a ring. Take your time, find the right one."

He nodded, and stood. "I'm going upstairs." He said evenly.

She nodded. "Goodnight, Inuyasha."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome walked alongside Inuyasha to school the next day, his ears neatly hidden under the ball cap, his eyes darting back and forth. She could feel the rigidity of his muscles and glanced up at him in concern. "Inuyasha?" She asked softly, about half-way there.

"School is going to be rough today." He said evenly, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes. "And we're being followed."

Discreetly, Kagome glanced behind her, finding Hojo standing back there with a group of his guy friends laughing and joking. His eyes were focused on them, an unnerving expression on his face. "Ick, Hojo..." She muttered, returning her eyes to her mate, finding him grinding his teeth together. She reached up and lightly squeezed the mark in a soothing manner. "Don't worry, he knows better than to touch me at school."

He ground his teeth firmer and nodded. "I know, Kagome. Doesn't mean I can't imagine disemboweling him for what he's said about you." He heard her light giggle and glanced towards her. "You know, one good swipe down his belly."

She fought the urge to grin, knowing he was fighting the urge to actually do it, and wasn't just imagining it. She wrapped her arm around his waist, hugging him a bit, smiling up at him. "Have I told you today that I love you?"

He paused, looking down at her and smiled gently. "I think you just did." He said softly, cupping her face and drawing her up into a tender kiss.

It was interrupted by the group of boys behind them bumping purposefully into them rather than doing what decent people do when two lovers are kissing in the middle of the damn sidewalk and going around. There were ice-cold whispers of 'slut' and 'whore'. It took a great deal of pressure on Inuyasha's mark to keep the hanyou from slashing each of the boys bellies.

"Don't, Inuyasha. That's what they want. They want us to get angry, they want us to hit them first." She said soothingly as they approached the school. She ignored the lusty looks the boys were giving her and the cold looks the girls were giving her and turned towards her hanyou, gently brushing his hair out of his face. "Wish me luck..." She said softly.

He shook his head, smiling. "You wont need it, Kagome." He said softly, then pulled her tight against his chest, hugging her passionately. "If any of them touch you, I really will disembowel them." He whispered against her ear. Slowly, he set her away from him, looking her deep in her eyes. "I'll pick you up after school." He said softly, caressing her cheek lightly.

She smiled, nodding, and stepped out of his arms. "I'll see you then." She said, squeezing his hands as she released them and moved towards the school, refusing to let the looks other students were giving her.

"Who's that, your latest trick?" Hojo sneered as she entered through the main door of the school.

She blinked, looking towards him. "Why no, Hojo. He's my fiancee. You seem to have confused me with yourself. Excuse me." Without another word, she gracefully moved down the hallway, towards her classroom.

Hojo was still scratching his head, wondering what went wrong when the bell rang, signaling the beginning of the day.

However, despite Kagome's fighter attitude, she was getting worn by the time lunch rolled around. It was a great relief when Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka grabbed her when lunch bell rang, dragging her up to the roof. They all sat down and Kagome flopped backwards, staring up at the lightly clouded sky. "Kill me..." She muttered.

Eri and Yuka began immediately questioning her about the rumors that were being spread about her. "Oh, god, Kagome, is it TRUE! You had sex with Hojo! We thought you'd be a virgin forever!"

Kagome snorted. "I never had sex with that little wienie." She grumbled. "I'm not that kind of girl." She pulled out a piece of broiled fish and popped it into her mouth, closing her eyes. She could tell her hanyou had made that. There was something he did to fish that gave it a very distinctive flavor.

"Have you heard the rumors!" Eri and Yuka exclaimed, then shot accusing looks at Ayumi. "You told her?"

"Do you like watching that power-hungry limp-dick slandering our friends good name!" Ayumi snapped, her eyes narrowing. Even Kagome looked at her in shock at her language. "What? Is it wrong for me to use foul language once in awhile!"

Kagome laughed softly. "Ayumi, you sound like Inuyasha when you talk like that."

The girl turned towards her and laughed softly. "I'm afraid it's one of the bad habits I picked up from my boyfriend. He said he learned it from a father-figure of his, and he tries to curb it in front of me, but he slips sometimes."

All three laughed at her slight sheepish expression. "So," Kagome sat up, looking at them all perfectly seriously. "Since I know about the rumors already, let's get started rectifying this little problem with the Limp-Dicked Hojo-kun." She looked at them, her face serious. "I need for you three to start spreading rumors too. But these will have a much greater ring of truth to them."

They nodded, smiling brightly.

And so Kagome implemented her part of the great plan. Part which she'd discussed that morning with her mate.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

It was the third store they'd been to, and still Inuyasha hadn't been able to find a ring that 'suited' Kagome. Mrs. Higurashi was on the verge of going insane from the wait. He was looking at the rings in the display cases, but none of them seemed unique, extraordinary.

Like his mate.

Finally, the older woman came up, frowning. "What's the matter, Inuyasha?" She asked, somewhat impatient. "You've been looking for nearly two hours..."

He blinked, looking towards her. "You told me to take my time..."

She sighed, nodding. "I know, but...Inuyasha, Kagome loves simple, elegant. She loves YOU, and anything you bring her, she'll adore, because you bought it for her." She put her hands on his shoulders and gave him a light shake. "You KNOW that."

He nodded. "I know. But I have to find one that's perfect." He said evenly. He looked at the cases. "These...they're all replicas. I don't want to give Kagome a replica. She's special, unique. I want her to have something that tells her that I see that."

A predatory smirk crossed the sales woman's face. "Well, sir, I may have just the right thing..." She took them and led them into the back room, revealing a small case of extraordinary jewelery, all with outrageous prices. Mrs. Higurashi felt the strain on her pocket book and winced slightly.

Inuyasha looked at them all with a critical eye.

The woman smirked, convinced she'd managed to snag some love sick fool who would be eating out of her palm. "Now this is a 3 karat heart diamond ring, the perfect gift for your girlfriend. It has no imperfections in-"

He took it out of her hand and held it up to the light, frowning deeply. The stone was, for lack of a better word, perfect. It was pure, and crystal clear. But something about it was bugging him.

She took his expression as interest. "The band is 24 Karat gold-"

He put it down. "The setting sucks." He said bluntly. "The stone isn't even set properly, it moves just a bit when I turn it like..." He adjusted it, and the gem shifted a bit. "This is shitty worksmanship." He said bluntly.

Mrs. Higurashi stared at him in pure shock.

The saleswoman wasn't any better off.

He looked in the case and saw they were trying to sell it for about 340 million yen. He rolled his eyes, shaking his head, looking at the other gems in the case.

While he was looking, something in another case in the back room caught his eye. He froze, fixating on it. The saleswoman was hesitantly trying to pitch another sale at him and he moved around her, towards the case in the back. He practically held his breath as he stood over the case, staring at the most flawless, beautiful ring he'd ever seen. He couldn't read the English written on the display, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from that ring.

It was the symbol of balance, a perfect circle of red and blue, the two colors divided by a peculiar flaw in the gem, creating the look of a yin yang. On either side was a 1 Karat diamond solitaire. "How much is this one?" He breathed, staring at the stone in amazement.

The saleswoman clucked in disapproval. "1.8 million yen. We had to drop the price because no one wanted a stone with a flaw." She huffed, glaring at the boy. "Really, though, it's horribly inappropriate for a wedding band-"

"Bring it out." He demanded softly.

The woman saw the stricken look on his face and frowned, then pulled the ring from the case. Mrs. Higurashi saw the look as well, walking towards him and peering at the ring as it was handed to him. "Oh, my..." She gasped. It certainly was unique, it's cut flawless, it's setting beautiful. It was something her daughter would have picked herself. She eyed the hanyou with an appraising gaze, then smiled. Her daughter chose well.

"Ma'am, would you please explain to him that white diamonds are the symbol of love, not this monstrosity!" The woman whispered.

Mrs. Higurashi shook her head. "You could never understand, miss." She said softly, smiling a bit. "But these two have never really been particularly mainstream."

He turned, the ring tight in his grasp. "Tell me about this ring." He demanded evenly.

The woman huffed, and began a very irritated speech. "The diamond was mined in Africa. At first, they thought the red and blue had bled together completely, but when the stone was cut, they discovered it made a yin yang. Original price was set at 7 hundred million yen. The ring didn't sell because no one wanted a stone that didn't have an IF rating, and so the price dropped quickly to what it is now, and when it still didn't sell, it was moved back here." She snapped, scowling.

He looked at it, and nodded. "I want this one." He said evenly. He looked towards Mrs. Higurashi and blinked innocently. "It's not too much?"

The older woman smiled, shaking her head. "For a ring like that, I'm willing to pay a little extra."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome was feeling much better by the end of the day. Boys were still looking at her like a side of meat, but when their girlfriends caught them they were soundly chastised, followed by a quick message of if her fiancee catches you, he'll castrate you himself.

At first, the rumor spreading seemed to be stagnating, till Ayumi, in a moment of brilliance, said that Kagome's fiancee was very possessive, and a little violent, and would NEVER let another boy lay a hand on her. All the complete truth. However, that well placed rumor had made a bunch of the girls much more accepting of the other rumors. And that was all that mattered. The girls were the more vicious rumor spreaders.

With the girls on her side, Hojo's stories didn't hold much water.

So when the bell rang, and she began cleaning up, the other girls in the class were asking her all manner of questions about her 'fiancee'. It didn't bother her like it used to. After all, she and Inuyasha hadn't had a real fight since the night he'd asked her to be his mate. Sure, sometimes they would disagree on some things, but usually he was very careful about what he said to her.

"What's he look like?" One of the girls asked.

Ayumi giggled. "The word uber-babe comes to mind. Didn't you see him this morning?"

"Oh, no way!" She squealed. "I thought that was just a friend of hers! He's GORGEOUS! That hair, those eyes!"

"That butt." Another girl sighed, leaning on her broom, sending all the girl's into fits of laughter.

"Oh, oh!" Another one piped up, grinning. "Have you two...ya know..."

Kagome blushed faintly, looking at the ground as she swept. "Yes, but not until he proposed." In a manner of speaking.

They all sighed. "How romantic...he actually waited for you to be ready..."

She smiled, deciding not to tell them how not romantic his proposal really was. "Yeah, not every guy would do that..." She paused, frowning at the floor. "I didn't used to think that there would be a guy who wouldn't. Then all this stuff with Hojo started, and I found out that a friend of mine was planning on forcing me..." She shook her head, frowning.

Everyone gasped, looking at her in pity. "Hojo is such a creep!" One girl said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yeah!"

Kagome just shrugged. "I have Inuyasha to look after me."

"Inuyasha? Is that his name?"

She winced. "Yeah. Kinda weird. But it kinda suits him." Really, really suits him. "If he ever found out that Hojo or anyone else laid a finger on me, he'd probably ritualistically disembowel them." She said, chuckling faintly, trying to make it look like a joke. She was really only joking about the ritualistic part. There was no doubt in her mind that if Hojo touched her in any way, the police would find little pieces of him all over the school the next morning.

Very little pieces of him.

"How big is he?"

Kagome blushed at the sudden change of topic. "Um..." She considered for a moment, then held her fingers apart aways, blushing. "About that long...and..." She held her thumb and middle finger in a ring, leaving a little space at the tips. "That big around."

All the girls stared in shock. That put him at about 9 ¾ inches in length and 2 inches of girth. "BIG!"

She laughed softly. "Hm. Was kind of uncomfortable that first time. Neither of us had any experience..." She blushed, lowering her gaze. "But he's a very fast learner..." She said, looking intently at the floor. "And we both enjoy the practice."

There was some serious hooting and cat calls.

She giggled, blushing a bit and did a mock curtsy. Suddenly, the door flew open and a very angry Hojo flew into the room, walked towards her and grabbed her by her upper arms, slamming her into the wall.

"You SLUT!" He shouted.

She winced, seeing stars at the initial blow. She ground her teeth together, refusing to cry out in pain. "I told you this morning, Hojo, I'm not a slut. You are..."

He raised his hand, hitting her hard across the face.

She had braced herself, and it didn't hurt as bad as some of the wounds she'd taken in Sengoku Jidai, so she bit her tongue.

"What the hell did you do that your grandfather stopped arranging our marriage with my family!"

She looked at him directly in the eye and gave a small half-grin. "I told them that I would never marry a coward who has to spread rumors about a girl just because she wont let him fuck her."

He glared at her, his eyes holding murder. The rest of the room was silent. "You little bitch-"

"Better to be Inuyasha's bitch than yours..." She breathed, smiling victoriously. Maybe she should let Inuyasha disembowel the little creep.

The boy raised his hand and would have hit her, but a strong hand wrapped around his wrist and he was tossed back away from her. Hojo looked up and found Inuyasha standing over him, wearing a cold expression on his face, that swore murder, pain, suffering, but not the sweet release of death.

"Are you okay, Kagome?" He asked, not taking his eyes off his prey. His hands were fisted so tight to keep from killing the boy that his blood was dripping to the floor.

Kagome took a steadying breath, finding her knight in shining armor had saved her yet again. She saw everyone around the room staring at Inuyasha in worry. They knew he had a violent streak, and they were scared that Inuyasha really would kill him. "I'm okay, sweetheart." She said evenly, brushing her hair from her face. "I'm made of tough stuff, remember?"

He flicked his eyes towards her and saw the red hand mark on her face and he dropped to his knees, grabbing Hojo's collar and jerking him to his feet. He leaned towards Hojo, putting his lips near his ear. "I want you to listen hard, little boy, and listen good..." He whispered in a dangerous tone. "If you ever strike Kagome again, if you ever touch her, unless you steady her on the stairs, if you ever harm her, or her reputation ever again...I. Will. Kill. You." He said evenly, then set him away, carefully straightening the boy's uniform, his eyes showing every kind of hell he could possibly put the boy through. "Now get out of my sight before you really piss me off..."

Hojo turned and ran out of the room.

Inuyasha was startled by the sound of applause breaking out in the room. He blinked, looking around and found his mate staring at him with a sweet smile on her face and all the girls that were cleaning had dropped their cleaning implements and were clapping furiously. He felt a slight blush creeping over his cheeks and turned towards his mate, catching her chin and examining the bruise. He bit back a low growl and lightly touched it with his hand, watching her wince a bit. "We should get ice on that..." He said evenly.

She smiled, shaking her head. "I'll be fine. Hojo hits like a girl."

There was some laughter around the room, and even Inuyasha gave her a small smirk. "I don't care if it felt like a fly landing on you, Kagome." He said, smiling. "Come on, I'll walk you home." He paused for a moment, digging into his pocket. "Oh, and Ayumi." He turned towards her, handing her a small card. "I thought you'd like to come, bring your boyfriend or whatever." He said, then guided his mate from the room.

"What did you invite Ayumi-chan to?" Kagome asked, bouncing down the stairs lightly, her lips turned up in a peaceful smile as she walked slightly ahead of him.

Inuyasha hesitated, uncertain of how she would take it. He knew she loved him, but this would be something they did in her time. He didn't want her to be ashamed of him. He didn't want her to hate the ring. He didn't want her to hate...

"Inuyasha?" She looked at him from the bottom of the steps, a confused expression on her face. Lately, Inuyasha was very attentive, and he didn't often leave her hanging when she asked him a question. Yet, he was standing up at the top of the stairs wearing a strange expression, one that could almost be called fear, an anxiety that she'd never seen on his face. She stood very still, watching him closely.

He took an unsteady breath, looking down at the concerned face of his mate. He hadn't discussed his plan with her yet, and she was the one who had to consent. "T-to..." He blushed, looking intently at the ground. "Our wedding." He said softly.

She wasn't sure she'd heard him right. Slowly, she moved up the stairs, staring at him through wide eyes, her breaths rushing in and out of her. "Did...did you just say what I..." She saw him nod a bit, refusing to look at her. Her heart surged in her chest and she ran the rest of the way up the stairs and threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, Inuyasha!" She whispered, pressing her face against his chest. "I love you!"

He relaxed almost immediately, embracing her tightly. "I wasn't sure if you'd be happy or pissed that I went behind your back about this..." He said softly. He smoothed her hair and nosed the mark, breathing easier.

She pulled back, shaking her head. "You've made me very happy." She said softly, then pressed herself onto her tiptoes and kissed his lips gently. Without another word, they walked from the school, his arm tightly around her shoulders, hers tightly around his waist.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Things weren't supposed to have gone this way. It was supposed to be simple to get Kagome into bed, and into his family. After all, his ancient ancestor, Akitoki Hojo had married a girl named Kagome as well. He'd done everything he could think to win the girl's heart, and yet everything had failed, so he'd gone to even more drastic lengths, making himself the only guy in her peer group who would have her, yet she still managed to hold the heart of that creep Inuyasha.

It didn't make any sense.

After all, Hojo had showered her with gifts, pined over her health, taken her on multiple dates, visited her at her house. What had this other boy possibly done that was better than that?

"She's just a shallow bitch." He grumbled. He was the best looking boy at school, but evidentially when a more attractive piece of meat comes along, she was off chasing them. "Not that I think that creep Inuyasha is more attractive than me..." He muttered. "He just has more unusual features."

Speaking of the devil himself, there was the bastard, with Hojo's girl, holding each other so tight, it looked like they were practically glued together.

They were talking in low voices, whispering what were probably words of endearment towards each other. Just a moment later, the wind kicked up, catching the bill of the boy's ball cap and blowing it clear off his head.

Hojo stared in completely horrified shock.

It was a monster.

"Inuyasha! Your ears!" Kagome exclaimed in worry, chasing after the hat, catching it and rushing back. The boy had his hands over top the fuzzy triangles, his long, rather sharp looking nails. Claws, Hojo realized.

Suddenly, everything made sense. The boy was a monster and had put Kagome into some kind of contract, or under a spell, where she HAD to love him! (AN: Ahem, Kuno anyone?) Perhaps she was possessed by him, and her innocence spoiled by his evil! This brought a whole new plan to the boy's mind. Kagome was part of a shrine family! They had to deal with evil entities all the time!

These thoughts brought a whole new dimension of how to win Kagome from the evil monster to his mind. Quickly, he rushed off to the library to do some research.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome and Inuyasha stood in front of the Justice of the Peace, with her mother and brother behind them. Inuyasha was wearing a button down red t-shirt and a black 'noose', with black trousers, while Kagome wore a simple white summer dress. They spoke their vows, not hearing Ayumi and her boyfriend sneak in at the back of the room.

It was a small ceremony, very simple, held in a room at the court house. The paperwork was already filled out, this was just formality, but it was worth it, when Kagome laid eyes on the ring Inuyasha had picked for her tears welled in her eyes and she barely waited for the justice to say he may kiss the bride before throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately on the lips.

Everyone applauded, and the pair blushed, realizing there were others still in the room. Ayumi and her boyfriend, who seemed oddly familiar, although they couldn't place where they knew him from, came up and shook both their hands, congratulating them.

Inuyasha hugged his new wife close to his side, feeling her happiness radiating off of her body. It wasn't something he'd really wanted to do all that much, and he'd been anxious all day prior to it, but it was well worth the effort. If things worked out according to plan, he and Kagome would have the next 48 hours to themselves, to do everything they could think of.

Unfortunately for Inuyasha and Kagome, bad luck seemed to hit them in spades immediately after something good happened. This was no exception. As they walked out of the courthouse, Kagome laughing, him chuckling softly, the hanyou felt something reach out and hold him perfectly still.

He turned and found Ayumi's boyfriend was holding his upper arm tightly, his eyes focused on something at the base of the long staircase.

About twenty odd people holding seals, standing in a half-circle. They were chanting softly under their breath and Inuyasha noticed they were calling up a purification spell. In which case, he'd be spending the next few days either dead, or human. Behind them stood Hojo, wearing a wide smirk.

"Ah, it must have been fate the other day when the wind kicked your hat off your head..." The boy gloated, walking forward, into the circle of people and up the stairs. He moved up the stairs until he stood in front of Inuyasha, and tilted his head to the side. "No wonder you have such 'unique' features. You're not even natural. You're an abomination..." He glanced towards Kagome, and smiled. "Don't worry, Kagome, you'll be free from his evil soon..." He reached up and snatched the ball-cap off of Inuyasha's head, freeing his ears for the world to see.

The hanyou flinched as it clipped his ears, fighting the urge of giving the human the lightest push down the stairs in hope of breaking his fragile neck. Kagome's fingers were laced tightly through his, and she gave his hand a comforting squeeze.

"You're assuming that it's a spell?" Kagome asked softly, looking at Hojo in irritation. "That I'm so weak that I don't know my own mind? My own heart!"

Hojo smiled peacefully at her. "You don't know what you're saying, Higurashi-san..." He said mildly. "This demon possessed your spirit, and is forcing you to do it's will. It's the only possible reason you could love something so disgusting...so vile..."

Inuyasha felt his hands fisting, and Kagome's hand soothed him. He'd neglected to bring Tetsusaiga, since it wouldn't be aloud inside the courthouse, so he had to rely on Kagome's touch to keep his inner demon at bay. He could feel his mate's ire rising and rested his hand lightly on the mark on her shoulder, moving her behind him. "Stay behind me, Koishii..." He said softly, worried that there would be some kind of backlash towards her mark if they finished the spell. Where the hell was Miroku when you needed him!

"Hai..." She agreed, reaching to her neck, and clutching their single shikon shard, which was glowing from the purification spell. It seemed that it's power was increasing, trying to talk to her, telling her what she needed to do. She didn't notice that she'd begun softly chanting something as well.

"When you're finally free, Kagome, we can be together, you'll be mine, just as it should be." Hojo smiled, reaching towards her, oblivious to the waves of power coming off the hanyou's mate.

"I'm not yours Hojo..." She said, opening her eyes and yet she didn't see the world around her. Instead, she saw a priestess she'd seen sometimes in her dreams, standing next to a great fire cat, her demon lover behind her, a circle of priests holding seals casting a spell of purification. "What are you telling me, Midoriko...?" She whispered aloud.

Inuyasha glanced at her, seeing the bright glow behind her pupils, seeing the shikon shard glowing brightly between her small fingers. "Kagome!" He cried out to her, turning all of his attention towards his mate. He saw Ayumi's boyfriend guiding them all closer towards her, and the moment he rested his hand lightly on her mark, a barrier flew up around their small group, bright white, blinding himself, and probably everyone else in the area.

She could feel the spell battering the outside of the barrier and she felt herself growing weaker. The tremendous amount of energy it took to cast it was draining her quickly, and her connection with the jewel and Midoriko was weakening. "Help me..." She whimpered, crying out to the long dead priestess. Slowly, her eyes closed and she slumped against her mate, the barrier falling around them.

They were no longer on the steps of the courthouse. They were now inside Kagome's living room, and Kagome was slumped, unconscious against Inuyasha's chest. The hanyou clutched Kagome tightly, mentally checking Kagome over for wounds. There was nothing he could find. Her face was very pale however, and her heartbeat just a little slow for his liking. Gently he shook her, hoping the movement would wake her from her sleep. "Kagome!" He cried, shaking her a little more roughly. "Kagome!"

Ayumi looked towards her boyfriend, who came forward and put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Lay her on the couch, Inuyasha..."

Inuyasha did so numbly, looking at her face and smoothing her hair back. "Nothing like this has ever happened before..." He said, looking at her mother and brother, who were holding each other worried.

The boy walked into the kitchen and filled a bowl with water and grabbed a wash rag. "I know, but it wont be the last time, believe me. The energy from the purification spell strengthened the purity of the shard, increasing her connection with it, hence her connection with Midoriko." He put the rag into the cool water and rested it against her forehead. "Don't worry, it's not fatal."

Inuyasha examined the boy, looking at him with mistrust. "How do you know so much about the shards?"

"Because it's me, Shippou, dip shit." The boy grumbled, gesturing for Ayumi to come over. "Hey, gorgeous, could you bring me my bag?"

The hanyou stared at Shippou in shock, trying to understand why the boy, who now was very obviously the child they knew in Sengoku Jidai, looked like a human in his early twenties. "Shippou?" He asked, unsteadily. "You smelled familiar...but...how?"

"I got older. Grew up, so to speak. Met Ayumi last summer, and when she found out about you, I revealed my little secret to her." He held up a pendant he wore around his neck. "It was something that youkai started doing a few hundred years ago. It became safer to hide among the humans." He glanced towards Kagome's mother and brother. "Don't worry, she's going to be alright, you might want to go make some tea, though. This could take awhile."

It took longer than awhile.

Inuyasha paced the entire time, while Shippou rested cool cloths on the feverish girl's head. He had drawn what Ayumi had called a 'power circle' on the floor and set candles around it, lighting every other one. Each hour a different one was lit, and the one opposite it was put out.

Kagome's mother got tired of waiting around and took Inuyasha's ring out to get an engraving that matched the symbol on Shippou's necklace. Souta had worriedly retreated to his room, turning on some rather dark angsty teen music. Ayumi simply knelt beside her boyfriend, providing him with silent support, and turning the page of his thick book when requested.

After almost six hours of steady work, Shippou stopped, slumping to the floor. "I've done all I can, the rest is on you, Inuyasha. You're her mate, you've got a connection with her that the rest of us don't." A teasing look covered the kitsune's face. "Although you should probably establish that connection in the privacy of her room."

Inuyasha looked at Shippou, a serious expression on his face and nodded, scooping up his mate. "Where did you learn that?" He asked evenly.

Shippou paused, looking him dead in the face. "You and Kaede taught me." He said bluntly, then stood up, helping Ayumi stand. "Go, we'll clean this up. Try to use your mark to raise her energy, she's still pretty low."

Without another word, the hanyou whisked his bride up the stairs and slammed the door behind him, stripping her down to her underwear, and practically tearing his own clothing off. He lay her against the bed and slid under her covers behind her, wrapping his arms tightly around her exhausted form and placing his lips against the mark.

She had saved him, she'd almost killed herself trying to save him. He held her tightly, still feeling the fear that had choked him when she'd collapsed in his arms, how faint her pulse had been, how still she was, how slow her breathing was. Now, her pulse was stronger, and her breathing was more steady, less erratic.

Even now he didn't know what all had happened, he'd heard her faint whisper to Midoriko, and then her plea of help seconds before the barrier fell. Even Shippou's brief, rather hurried explanation hadn't done much to ease his confusion or his anxiety. Only one thing would soothe him now, but he couldn't make her do that when she was so tired...

Unless...

His eyes narrowed slightly and he reached down her body, setting himself to work.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome's eyes had opened shortly after the orgasm her beloved hanyou had brought her to and she blinked sleepily, trying to figure out where she was. The first thing she noticed was that she felt exhausted, like she'd run a triathlon by herself. Her limbs felt like lead weights, and there was something resting gently between her legs, obviously it was whatever had caused the warm tingling sensation only moments before. A warm tongue was lightly bathing the mark on her shoulder, which oddly enough, was causing her strength to return. Slowly, lethargically, she turned her head to see white hair and puppy ears, the top of her new husbands head.

Evidentially he felt her move, because he lifted his lips from the mark and met her gaze, a deep worry in his eyes. Also, there was something she'd never really thought she'd see in his eyes, and if she dared put a name to the emotion, it was love. "Inuyasha..." She whispered hoarsely.

He removed his hand from between her legs and shifted so he was leaning over her, looking down into her eyes. "Are you alright?" He asked, caressing her cheek gently.

Her heart melted and she leaned into his hand. "Not sure yet..." She admitted. "But could you lay with me for awhile?" She saw his eyes close and he lay down beside her, gathering her tightly against his chest. She looked at the ring on her finger and tried to summon back the memories of what happened to make her so tired, and she remembered leaving the courthouse and finding Hojo standing there, and a lot of people, trying to purify Inuyasha. Their words had caused something to happen inside the Shikon no Tama, and Midoriko had told her how to save them, and escape at the same time.

'That one shard...is special. It is the piece that is closest to the center of Midoriko's heart. An attack, while normally less powerful, infused with the power of that shikon shard...will destroy Naraku.'

Kagome looked at the shard nestled between her breasts and realized what Kikyou had meant and knew that if Midoriko's 'intentions' were still inside this shard, if this piece contained the largest piece of her soul, then it would be even more sensitive to purity, and far less sensitive to evil intentions. It also explained why her desire to protect Inuyasha from possible purification had struck a chord with the long dead miko, and she'd assisted her in saving him. She turned towards Inuyasha and smiled. "It seems every woman who's ever been connected with this jewel has had a demon lover." She said softly, smiling.

Inuyasha looked towards her, confused. "Huh?"

"I saw Midoriko cast the barrier I used only moments before I used it myself." She said softly, lifting the jewel and looking at it intently. "The image I saw was her, Kirara, and a man with pointed ears and stripes on his face. If I hadn't known better, I would have sworn it was your brother, Inuyasha." She laughed softly.

His eyes widened and he sat abruptly. "You mean to tell me that Midoriko was a demon's mate, but she still exterminated them!" He saw her smiling at him in a rather patronizing manner.

"Midoriko, Kikyou, and I." She pointed out. "Perhaps Kikyou wasn't your mate yet, but she still fell in love with you, and so did I. Perhaps it has to do with balance. Perhaps that's why every person who's come in direct contact with Midoriko's soul has fell in love with something they've been killing all along. I don't think Midoriko's intentions were to ever kill all the demons, but to get rid of the destructive ones. The ones that kill humans for sport."

The hanyou hugged her close and rested his face against his shoulder. If Kagome was right, if she was telling the truth, then this would change everything. It would change the strategy of the final battle, as well as everything else. He lifted his face and sat up. His plans for having a romantic getaway for a few days was blown up due to harsh reality, so all that was left was to...

"What do you think we should do?"

Kagome smiled warmly. "Thank you."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_AN: Another chapter done, and only one or two more to go. I'll be rather sad to see this one end, and there are still a few things I have left to resolve. Hojo's caught somewhere between being evil and horribly misguided right now, and at the moment, he's probably horribly confused, and thinking that he killed Kagome as well as Inuyasha. There is an excellent chance that Midoriko's former lover will be taking a hand in at the final battle, and to those of you who are wondering just WHEN Inuyasha's going to say those three words (7 chapters and he still hasn't said 'I love you' yet), don't worry._

_Count on a few plot twists in the near future, some action featuring Fluffy, Kouga, Inuyasha and Ayame, possibly next chapter. I'm not going to spill the beans yet on who's going to get hurt, who's going to live and who's going to die, but the next chapter is going to get very emotional. I'm also considering adding a much shorter than normal epilogue that talks about Inuyasha and Kagome's next period in her time._

_A note: There are a few things that happened this chapter that were planned. There are a few that weren't. Kagome's little talk with Midoriko wasn't, but it's going to make the final battle much more interesting._


	8. Chapter 8

_AN: Ohhhh! Just two more chapters left! Now, I know there are a lot of people who are irritated with me about the cliffies that I left on some of my other fanfics, but...Oh, well...I'll surprise you. _

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_Coming of Age_

By: Demonsaya

oooooooooooooooooooooo

**8**

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Ayame sniffed the air, noting that Kouga's faint scent was fading further. It made her relax slightly, but she didn't trust Naraku's tricks and didn't know what new powers the shikon shards had given the wolf. So she remained vigilantly awake, eyes gazing up at the mostly full moon, ears listening for any creature's approach. Sesshoumaru was standing guard as well, at the edge facing west of the village. She faced Southwards, towards the forest. To the East, Miroku was standing guard, and Northward, was Jaken.

Somewhere, inside her heart, she could understand Kouga's resentment for Inuyasha. It was similar to some of the feelings she felt for Kagome. After all, she'd lost her prince to the human girl. She'd learned that in the wolf's eyes, she couldn't even measure up to a human woman. She wasn't pretty enough, or strong enough.

Yet, after spending time around the miko, she'd learned that the girl had no feelings towards the wolf. She had learned that the girl's smiles at him spoke of nothing more than friendship, her kindness, the way she would protect him from the hanyou she truly loved, out of a sisterly affection.

Upon that realization, the animosity she'd felt towards the girl died a quick death. Besides, it was difficult to dislike Kagome anyways. She was so bright and cheerful, always smiling, her lips periodically turning up into a more coy smirk when she was talking with her friends. Her hands were always tender and caring when she was bandaging someone's wounds. Her heart was so big and full of hope, that even in the face of the girl's own rival, when the undead woman needed help, Kagome would lend a hand.

Ayame sighed, looking up towards the tree line and sucking in a sharp breath. There, a head of silver was emerging from the trees, a mound of black hair tossed over his shoulder. Inuyasha and Kagome had returned. Slowly, she rose to her feet, seeing the hanyou signal for her to keep quiet, and nodded, moving towards them. "We're keeping guard. Kouga's scent just faded. I'm not sure I should trust my nose, though..."

Inuyasha nodded, and glanced back at his sleeping mate. "Tell everyone to just relax. Standing guard every night like this is just going to wear us all out, and we're going to need our strength." He patted Ayame's shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile. "Especially if we're going to knock any sense into that damn wolf."

There was only one damn wolf. That was Kouga. Ayame's eyes filled with tears and she smiled, nodding. "I'll go tell the other's." She dug her clawed feet into the ground and sprung off, a definite spring in her step.

The hanyou's face became serious when she was gone and he gently squeezed Kagome's knee. "I don't know about this short break, Kagome..." He said evenly.

She nodded against his shoulder. "I know."

"Kouga or Naraku could attack at any moment, and we'd be off guard." He warned gently.

She glanced back at him and smiled calmly. "Don't worry." She kissed his cheek. "Remember what the skill that drew us together in the first place is? I'm still a great shard detector. And if my plan works, then we wont have to worry about Kouga for long."

He nodded hesitantly, moving towards Kaede's hut, pushing aside the straw cover. Shippou and Rin were sleeping curled up in the corner, Kirara curled around them. Kaede was still awake, stirring a smelly brew in her cauldron. Sango appeared to be asleep against the wall, but he could tell from her tense hold on Hiraikotsu that she was awake. "We're back." He said, kneeling and gently resting Kagome on the ground.

"Okaeri nasai." Kaede said, looking towards the obviously exhausted girl and gave Inuyasha a reproachful look. "You should let your mate rest now and then, Inuyasha. Otherwise, her strength will dwindle."

Inuyasha scowled at the old woman. "Keh. Kagome had a power flare in her time. She teleported a whole group from across her village straight into her home in under a second. She's a lot stronger now than she was right after that."

Kaede's eyes widened dramatically and she looked towards the girl. "Is this true, Kagome?" She asked, her old voice cracking slightly in shock.

"Hm." Kagome nodded. "Some creep found out..." She yawned. "About Inuyasha being a hanyou and tried..." Another yawn. "To purify him." She peered out at the old woman through half-closed eyes. "I still don't really remember everything..."

Inuyasha sat beside her and glanced up as Ayame, Jaken, and Miroku returned to the hut and frowned. "Where's Sesshoumaru?" He asked, sniffing the air. He could smell his brother, but he was still a good bit away.

Ayame shrugged. "Said something about 'wanting to stay away from the stench of humans'." She said, and moved to sit at the fire pit, warming herself.

Inuyasha watched Miroku move towards Sango and put a steady arm around her, drawing her against his shoulder. Almost at once, he could see the taijiya relax against the monk. He felt the corner of his mouth twitch and looked back towards his mate, hugging the girl against his own shoulder. He heard her soft sigh and gently licked her temple. "Go to sleep." He said softly. He heard her affirmative grunt and smiled just a bit.

"You've certainly mellowed since taking a mate." Miroku said softly, his voice teasing.

The hanyou looked towards him, completely serious. "Looks like you've matured since taking one yourself." He said bluntly. A smirk worked across the hanyou's face at the monk's blush. That's right, you lech, I know about what you and Sango did by the well that day.

"I wonder what Kouga would be like if he were to take a mate..." Ayame wondered softly.

A sympathetic expression covered Inuyasha's face and he looked towards his own mate. "Keh, he'd probably wind up just like me. The problem is he's too blinded by lust to understand what makes a good rutting partner and what makes a good mate."

"That's something I've been wondering quite awhile, Inuyasha...until a few months ago, you were dead set on dying for Kikyou." Kaede said evenly, stirring the foul smelling brew in the pot. "And when you entered your coming of age, it was as if you suddenly noticed that Kagome was a woman, and worth your attention." She frowned at him, seeing an emotionless expression on the hanyou's face. "Do you love Kagome, or do you love Kikyou?"

"I don't love Kikyou." He said evenly. That was all he said. He refused to tell these people his feelings for the girl when he hadn't even told her.

"But how do you feel for Kagome?" Kaede insisted, trying to discern the boys feelings for the girl was more difficult than she'd thought. He wasn't giving himself away as easily as he'd used to. "How could you have asked her to mate with you, allowed her to accept, when you don't even know your feelings for her!"

He gave her a look that was almost violent. "Keep your damn voice down, babaa." He said evenly, gently soothing his stirring mate. "And how the hell should I know how I feel for her? You think I had parents to talk to about how I was feeling and let them put a name to it? Be satisfied with the fact that I'm devoted to her, and I'm going to protect her."

"Are you using her as Kikyou's double, Inuyasha?" The woman asked, her face serious.

"Keh." He gently placed the girl on the ground, shrugging out of his haori and wrapping her in it tenderly. "I'm starting to agree with my brother. Being around humans right now is nauseating." He glared at Kaede darkly, letting her know that she's the one who was annoying him. He glanced towards Ayame. "I wont be far. Make sure she stays safe."

The wolf-girl nodded, a knowing expression on her face. "Got it."

With that, the hanyou left the room, heading towards the forest. Imagine his surprise when he saw his brother sitting calmly at the base of Goshinboku. He prepared himself to an impromptu training session and approached him slowly. "Oi, Sesshoumaru."

"Rude as ever, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru returned the greeting. "You returned earlier than expected. Has something happened to your mate?"

"Power flare." He remembered her words about what she saw when she was 'with Midoriko', and half-grinned, hoping to throw his brother off center a bit. "Some bastards trying to purify me accidentally pumped a crap load of pure energy into Kagome's shard, and as a result, she managed to teleport us across her village."

Sesshoumaru looked towards him, frowning. "Teleport?" He felt a memory stir and beat it back fiercely. He arched an eyebrow, seeing his brother was wearing a near-smirk. "What?"

"Now that I think about it, she said that just before, Midoriko told her what to do. Or really, I guess it was more like showed her. Kagome went all weird right before it happened, her eyes kinda glowed, and she said that she watched the Miko teleport herself, a demon cat and..." He paused. "Someone who evidentially looked a lot like you."

The demon ground his teeth together, and before the hanyou could blink, his brother's hand was around his throat, squeezing VERY tightly. "What are you talking about!" He snarled darkly. "Are you trying to accuse me of something!"

The hanyou would have grinned, but he was a bit busy trying to keep air entering his lungs. "Not a thing. Just wondering if you ever had an affair with a human..." He watched as the demon's eyes clouded. Suddenly, he was dropping to the ground. He saw his brother turn his back to him abruptly, his hands fisted at his sides, his head lowered.

"I had never met a human quite like her."

The voice caused the hanyou to start. He hadn't expected a response.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes as the memories rose rapidly to the surface and he felt that old familiar pain once again. It always pained him to remember those days. To remember the mortal woman who he'd left. He'd left her because he was afraid, left her alone during the one time she really needed him. He'd gone running back to his father, until the day where it felt like his soul was ripped our of him.

He'd realized that day that she was dead.

He'd locked himself away for almost three years, clinging to every memory of his brief time with her desperately, until his father had come for him, had learned what he'd done. That was probably the beginning of all of his problems. It was then, when he'd gone cold, when he'd first become emotionless. It was then that he'd shoved all those memories into a small box, locking it away into a part of his mind far away.

Until his stupid brother had brought it up.

Now, he could remember the brief year he'd spent alongside her, from their meeting under the sakura trees, when he'd been defenseless and her kind soul had brought him food and water. He had followed her for nearly a month, never getting too close, until the day he learned that she was to wed, and her priestess status would be gone.

That night, he'd gone to her, offered her a way out, offered her freedom at his side, promised to protect her. Asked her to become his mate. He had known next to nothing about mating, he was still practically a child back then, but it hadn't stopped him. They'd spent the next several days in his private den, passionately entwined.

He could remember the hot summer when they'd spent much of their time fighting, and he'd learned of her mysterious teleportation power when a group of priests tried to purify him. There was a bright flash of light and suddenly, they were in his den, and she was unconscious. He'd paced worriedly for days, until she woke, and explained that she rarely used her full powers, because they caused a great drain upon her body.

He could remember the fall, when she'd fallen ill and he'd spent a great deal of time nursing her back to health. He could remember the winter when they'd retreated to his den and spent those three months keeping each other warm. He could remember when she'd told him that she loved him and he'd grown frightened of his feelings for this mortal woman he'd taken as his mate and fled, unable to cope with the idea that she would die someday and he'd be alone.

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru came back to himself and felt a strange moisture on his cheeks. He lifted his hand and touched his face, shocked to find that they were tears. He blinked, taking an unsteady breath.

"Sesshoumaru..." Inuyasha said shocked. He had watched a shocking amount of emotion cross his brother's face in the span of mere moments, until it finally settled on self-loathing and two tears rolled down the demon's face. He had never seen so much emotion on his brother's face before and realized that he'd brought many painful memories back to the surface. "I..."

Sesshoumaru's hand easily brushed the show of emotion off his face and he looked away. When he spoke, it was in a controlled manner. "She was so delicate looking, but she was stronger than many demons I knew. She didn't fear me. I...was captivated by her, and we became mates. I knew almost nothing about mating, and did not know the effect it would have upon me until she passed." He looked back towards his brother, his face still covered with self-loathing, but his voice didn't give it away. Only his eyes did.

"After we had been mated for about a year, she told me she...had a deep emotional attachment to me and I wasn't ready to hear that. I ran away." He looked down at the ground once again, calmly closing his eyes. "I...was afraid. I didn't want to care for a human who would die and leave me. It wasn't until our father learned that I had taken a mate, who had died that I learned that she would have shared my lifespan..." He paused, his face darkening. "I hated myself. I could only think...if I hadn't left her...maybe my soul would still be whole."

It wasn't until Sesshoumaru lapsed into silence that Inuyasha spoke again. "I'm sorry."

The great demon's eyes snapped towards his brother and he saw the hanyou had hung his head and his chin was resting against his chest. "Inuyasha..."

"I understand...being scared...of hating yourself because you feel that you failed someone." The hanyou didn't raise his head. This was the first time his brother had been open with him. It had brought a onslaught of memories of his own to the surface. "I've failed Kikyou, nearly failed Kagome as well, on multiple occasions." He looked at his brother, then grinned. "But all of that is in the past, you know. I know that destroying Naraku will allow Kikyou to rest, and Kagome and I can live in peace. And once we have the whole jewel, and Kagome purifies it, Midoriko's soul will be released and she can rest in peace, too. And someday, I bet she'll be reborn too, and you two will find each other again."

Sesshoumaru stared at his brother in shock as the hanyou stood, stretching. Suddenly, there was a strange feeling in his chest. It was strange. He hadn't felt anything like it since his father had died. It felt like respect or even pride. A startling thought came to his mind. He actually felt proud that Inuyasha was his brother. Proud that this half-breed who had been cast out from his home, had lived off his instincts, had no clue about most things.

Inuyasha released his cat-like stretch and looked towards his brother. "I'm going back down to the village. Kaede-babaa fucking annoyed the shit out of me asking about how I feel about Kagome. Keh, like I'd tell her before I told Kagome..." He snorted, then turned back towards the village. "Sorry if I drudged up some shitty memories."

Sesshoumaru merely nodded.

The hanyou nodded back and headed back down towards the village, leaving the demon to watch his back. That was when both of them came to a silent agreement.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Naraku frowned deeply as he spied on the ones who he planned on destroying, who he'd wanted exhausted when they arrived. Rather than standing guard as they'd done for nearly three days, they all seemed to be...playing around?

Yes, that was definitely what they were doing. The girl called Kagome was waist deep in the water, splashing everyone who she deemed too 'chicken' to get into the water. Yes, it was easy to see why the hanyou had chosen the girl he picked. Her expression was one Kikyou had never worn, Kikyou was too serious.

This girl was full of vitality and life.

The demon smiled cruelly. She wouldn't be that way for long. He would first break her spirit, then he would lay claim to her soul. And when he was done with her, all that would be left would be a malleable shell. He heard a movement behind him and turned, finding Kouga standing there, the eight shards glowing with the demon's malice. "They're mocking us." Naraku said, smiling wickedly.

Kouga looked into the mirror, frowning, seeing the woman he wanted for his mate smiling happily, an expression he had never seen before in his life. He saw her splashing those that had sought shelter on the banks with water and laughing happily. Could he have made her that happy? He wondered, watching water hit the hanyou, who mock growled at her playfully, and pounced towards her, tackling her into the water. They didn't come up for a long moment and when they broke the surface, their arms were locked tightly around each other, Kagome wearing a happy expression.

He could see her whisper something into the hanyou's ear and felt his heart fall. There was only one thing that she could have said.

"I love you, Inuyasha..."

Kouga was snapped out of his observation by Naraku, who parroted back the girl's words in a mocking manner. The demon snorted, turning away from the mirror. "How does that make you feel, Kouga?"

The wolf saw Ayame standing there laughing and felt a strange sensation in his chest. He kept his face emotionless and looked Naraku directly in the eyes. "Disgusted." He said bluntly, then when he saw the devious smirk on the demon's face he turned away from the scene, trying to understand why there was pain in his heart when he saw Kagome speak her love for Inuyasha.

After all, Kagome really loved _him_, right?

He frowned, walking away and leaving the room. Why did it warm his heart to see Ayame smiling and happy? He'd never really wanted Ayame, so there was no logical explanation for that slight twinge of attraction he felt towards the female wolf. Besides, if she was working with Inuyasha against him, didn't that make her his enemy? He felt nauseated by the possibility. Suddenly, he felt a throbbing pain in his body, radiating out from where the shikon shards had been placed into his body. He cried out in shock and dropped to his knees, closing his eyes to the pain.

Slowly, the pain faded and he relaxed, opening his eyes, and revealing them as a blood red.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

The group simply basked in the sunlight that after noon, taking a day of rest, a day to relax, to regain their strength. Shippou and Rin bounded around the rivers edge, while Kagome and Inuyasha engaged in a more wrestle-like play deep in the water. Miroku and Sango sat on the banks, the human boy running his hands through his beloveds hair, easing gently through each tangle, periodically massaging her scalp, neck and shoulders, while she gently stroked Kirara in her lap.

Jaken was running back and forth, just out of the water's reach, trying to keep Rin out of trouble, while Sesshoumaru and the dragonette rested in the shade of the trees, far away from the play in the water.

All of them had taken Kagome's suggestion of 'relax for now', very, very seriously.

In fact, all the peace and laughter was causing the shard to glow faintly, as it's purity increased. The girl had suspected that it would, and she was pleased when she noticed it, and she showed Inuyasha while they floated under the water after another one of his tackles. He merely grinned at her and kissed her lips lightly. They broke the surface, arms wrapped tightly around each other, kissing each other tenderly, no matter that all their friends were watching.

The sound of applause caused Kagome to giggle and they broke their kiss, resting their foreheads against each others. It had been so long since they had been able to relax as a group, and it felt wonderful. It made her wonder if this is what it would be like after the mission was over and the jewel was gone. When all they'd have to worry about was staying together and having fun, and...living.

Inuyasha saw an odd expression on Kagome's face and looked at her in concern. "Kagome?"

She focused on his face and smiled. "It's nothing. Just thinking." She heard him chuckle and suddenly she was spun into the water once again. She yelped just a bit, sucking in a breath before they both went below the surface. She opened her eyes and saw Inuyasha looking at her, grinning from ear to ear.

She broke surface and glared at him without heat. "Mou! I almost inhaled water!"

He chuckled, leaning towards her. "That's just to remind you about what you've always told me about 'thinking'. You know...about it being dangerous? You could hurt yourself..."

Her face turned bright red and their water fight began once again with renewed intensity.

Most everyone on the river banks watched with an expression of amusement. The sole exception was Jaken, who was squawking something about how they should be setting a better example for the children and acting like adults rather than children. So imagine his surprise when Sesshoumaru threw the fluffy pelt thing from his shoulder and walked towards water and sent a foot splashing water at the pair.

Both were caught off guard by the sudden, rather large splash of water from the bank. They looked over and stared in blunt shock. Then, Inuyasha put both of his arms together, winking at Kagome, who did the same and they both hit the water, soaking the great demon from head to toe.

Along with everyone else on the bank.

Chaos broke loose, and suddenly everyone was in on it, piling into the water, splashing everyone who came within reach. That is how Kaede found them, all soaking wet, the sounds of laughter and indignant squeals filling the air. Kaede just stared at the scene, bemused. It had been years since there was so much joy in the air. And at the center of it all was a hanyou and his mate, wrestling with each other in the water. The old woman merely sat upon the ground, watching them finding that every face was wearing an expression that had rarely been seen on any besides Shippou, Rin and Kagome's.

Pure joy.

Well, except Jaken, who was sulking on the banks, trying to dry off, and Sesshoumaru, who was wearing more of a victorious smirk.

As the old woman watched, Sesshoumaru picked up the hanyou and easily dunked him back under the water. In retaliation, Inuyasha grabbed his ankles from under the water, pulling the demon's feet from under him and sending him slamming into the water as well.

Kaede actually hesitated to intrude, but they'd been out there since early morning, just after they'd eaten their morning meals. It was now almost dark. With a sigh, she moved towards the edge of the water and addressed them. "Food's done." She called evenly.

Shippou cheered, darting towards the banks, and jumping up to her chest, hugging her and getting her soaking wet in the process. Kaede sighed softly, feeling rather old among all these 'young people'. Rather than lamenting her situation aloud, she gave the kit a smile, supporting him carefully. "Shall we go eat?"

Shippou nodded, grinning from ear to ear. "Come on, Rin, there's food!"

Rin came running out of the water next, followed by Sesshoumaru, who was ringing out his long hair. He gave Jaken a look and his pelt was quickly placed upon the dragonette where it wouldn't get dirty.

Sango and Miroku followed with Inuyasha and Kagome, noting they were a little worn out, but in a relaxed and wonderful way. A way none have them had felt since they were young children, a way Inuyasha had rarely felt even then. They moved towards the village and Inuyasha slid his arm around Kagome's waist, hugging her against him. He was rewarded with one of her brilliant smiles.

Inuyasha smiled back at her gently and he closed his eyes and made himself a promise. If he lived through this, he was going to make her a house, a place where she and their pups could live, and he would even build a room for Shippou if it would make her happy, and they could raise the kit like he was their pup as well. He hesitated bringing up the question he had to ask, but it was necessary. "Kagome, should we head out tomorrow?" He asked her softly, looking at her face, seeing her expression peaceful.

She turned towards him, seeing a hesitant expression on his face and smiled. "I think that's fine, Inuyasha. We're going to have a guest tonight." She said, tilting her head to the side. "Kikyou felt the jewels' reaction to our play today."

He frowned a bit, but nodded. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"Only if you want to. I have nothing to fear from her." She said, wrapping her arm around his waist as well. She glanced towards the tree line and saw the very first of the soul stealer youkai and smiled, nodding her greeting to the undead miko.

Once the sun had gone down, Inuyasha escorted her as far as the edge of the forest, keeping his nose active for the scent of both Kouga and Naraku, just in case they should decide on a preemptive strike.

Kagome walked into the trees, only feeling a slight trepidation, nothing like the last time she'd seen Kikyou. After all, now, Kikyou had made her intentions clear. Upon entering the clearing where the Miko waited for her, she paused. "Kikyou." She said, calmly.

Kikyou looked towards her, and almost smiled. "The jewel is reacting strangely lately...I'm sure Naraku sensed it as well. It probably repulsed him." She walked towards the girl, and looked at her. "May I see?"

Kagome pulled the shard from around her neck and held up the fragment, which was glowing from an internal light. "It started the other day in my time. I had a power flare of sorts, and I felt Midoriko's intentions. I was able to transport several friends, family, as well as Inuyasha a great distance."

The woman nodded, smiling faintly. "You've grown strong, Kagome." She said softly. "Far stronger than I was at your age..."

Kagome shook her head. "I'm not strong alone." She said softly. "It's my friends that give me strength. I think...that if I'd been alone too, I would be much more weak." She looked at Kikyou, a serious expression on her face. "The desire to protect my friends makes me stronger than I ever dreamed I'd be."

Kikyou smiled sadly. "I knew you'd say that." She put a hand on either of Kagome's shoulders and smiled. "You head out tomorrow?"

Kagome nodded. "Yeah."

The woman nodded, smiling. "Then I have a parting gift for you."

Before Kagome could say a word, Kikyou's lips sealed over hers. The girl's eye just twitched in horror. WHAT THE HELL! She mentally screamed, until she felt something returning to her, something that had been missing since Kikyou had returned.

Kikyou pulled away, and smiled a bit. "It will do you a world more good than it will me." She said, then summoned her soul stealers, allowing them to lift her into the air.

Kagome just stood there, watching Kikyou leave and tried to erase the rather strange image from her mind. Quickly she wiped her mouth with the back of her uniform sleeve and shuddered. How on earth could Inuyasha have kissed her so easily that time! She wondered, shaking her head furiously. She spat a few times, trying to get the taste out of her mouth and gagged a few times. "Ugh." She cringed.

She didn't see as Kikyou got a light chuckle at her expense.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

The next morning, they headed out.

Rather than the intense guarding they did the last time, they were out hunting for shards/evil bastards, they had kept their guard up the entire time and as a result, hadn't gotten enough sleep at all. However, today they started out well rested, and everyone was feeling more energetic than normal for their little trips.

They stopped in several villages along the way, and were treated quite well, not surprisingly. Many villagers recognized their small group and offered them supplies for the trip, things like homemade stews that Kagome thanked them heartily for, and Inuyasha didn't have the heart to turn them down.

Their band was five short, them making the decision that the littles just should come along, and so they remained with Kaede, while Kirara, Jaken and Sesshoumaru's dragonette remained at the village to protect it. They were basically going to a war zone, which was no place for children.

When they finally stopped for the night, no one was surprised when Inuyasha and Kagome escaped the scrutiny to go have some privacy in the hotels modest garden. The hanyou watched his mate leaning over the bridge, resting her forearms on it, looking up at the mostly full moon, smiling happily. He couldn't help be captivated by her strange beauty. Her face almost glowed in the moonlight, and the wind tugged her hair back from her face, kissing her skin lightly. The yukata wrapped around her like a lover, her socks slightly dingy from their trip along the path.

Kagome felt the heat of his gaze upon her and she turned her head, finding him looking at her with a distinct longing expression and she smiled warmly at him. It had been only a little over a week since they'd become mates, only a little under a month since he'd 'popped the question', and a little over 72 hours since they'd been married. Their contact since mating had been less like fighting, as if now that all the stupid shit was behind them, all that was left were their feelings for each other.

Her smile faltered a bit at that thought, but she didn't let her partner know her doubts. She loved him and would never regret her decision to become his mate. She looked down into the small koi pond, sighing softly. Even if she never knew if he loved her, even if he never spoke the words, she knew he cared for her deeply, or he'd have never asked her to become his mate. She knew because of the care he'd taken their first night together, when he'd placed his claim upon her.

A soft smile turned up her lips when she felt gentle claws on her shoulders, pulling her back against his muscular chest. Her smile broadened when she felt his lips on her shoulder, against the mark, his claim, the identifier that she was a demon's mate. She reached back, caressing his ear lightly.

"I suppose you're gonna wanna wait until you graduate till we have pups, huh..." Inuyasha mumbled against her skin, sighing softly. He heard her chuckle and frowned a bit, lifting his head to look at her. "Kagome...?"

"Pups?" She teased softly. "How many you thinking about having?"

He blinked, then smiled a bit, hugging her. "Dunno. Five or six sounds good." He heard her soft giggle and blinked, looking at her again.

"Sure. I'll have the first four, you can have the other two." She teased lightly. She heard her husband and mate sputter and giggled lightly. "I'm kidding silly." She said softly, turning in his arms to look up into his eyes. "Yeah, I should wait until after I graduate." She admitted, lightly stroking his chest.

He smiled happily, hugging her to his chest, resting his cheek against her hair. He saw the light catch the ring he'd picked for her and lifted her hand, kissing the stone gently, turning her palm over and nuzzling it lightly. "Good. Then I'll have time to build your house..." He said softly against her skin.

Her eyes widened and she looked up at him in surprise. "My house?"

"I want to build you a house." He said softly. "A place...for us to live with our pups...A place for us to..." He lifted his eyes, looking at her uncertainly, startled to see tears in her eyes. "Unless...you don't want to...I forgot, you probably want to stay with-"

His words were cut off when two arms were thrown around his neck and two lips pressed firmly against his. He caught the happy girl carefully and blinked, uncertain of what he had done right, or wrong as the case may be. He set the girl down gently, holding her back a bit as she tried to come in for yet another kiss and looked her dead in the eyes. They were shining with tears and happiness and so much love that he simply cupped her cheeks and worshiped her eyes for a few moments. "Kagome..."

"I love you." She whispered, bringing her hands up to hold the sides of his face as well. She brought her lips to his once again and slid one hand down to the mark on her shoulder, giving it a tender squeeze.

The hanyou closed his eyes, feeling their connection open and suddenly, for the first time since they'd mated, he felt her feelings and his eyes snapped wide, feeling all the love she felt for him, all the pain she'd known before he'd chosen her, all the doubts she still possessed. His face softened, and he lifted his own hand, resting it against her shoulder, opening his soul to her, closing his eyes once again. He had never spoken his feelings for her, had never put what he felt into words. Words were to simple to describe the complicated emotions he felt for the girl. She drove him insane yet calmed him in the same breath, caused deep emotional anguish and the warm sensation of healing every time she touched him.

Kagome's back arched and she gasped softly, feeling his soul brushing against hers, feeling his heart, and how he felt for her. The emotions were so confusing, yet at the same time, there was no confusion at all in him. His soul knew what his mouth and mind did not. Tears filled her eyes and she pulled her lips away from his and wound her arms slowly around his neck. "Make love to me..." She whispered softly, opening her eyes to look at him. "Please..."

He groaned softly, lifting her at her thighs, feeling her legs wrap around his hips invitingly. He opened his drugged eyes and slipped one hand behind her neck, gently caressing her nape. "I thought you knew...I would do anything for you..." He looked deeply into her eyes and brought his lips to the mark on her shoulder.

And so they made love, standing on the bridge, in the middle of the night, in the hotel gardens.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Miroku held his beloved taijiya gently as she slept, trying to find the peace to sleep as well. He didn't want her to get hurt. He had known she would insist on going to this fight. He would have been a fool to refuse her, as well. There was no way she would sit passively behind, pregnant or not. Naraku had a significant psychological impact on her just prior to their meeting, and continued to have one on her for a great amount of time. She, just as everyone else, had to see this thing to the end, or she would be left unsatisfied.

A rueful smile tugged at the corner of his lips, hugging her slightly closer. He wouldn't let anything harm her or their child. He would protect her, and if one of them had to die, he would throw himself on the grenade.

She was, after all, everything to him. She had brought a light into his life that had been missing for years. She had given him hope, had given him something he thought for a long time he would never get. She'd given him herself.

He heard the girl in his arms murmur his name and her hand fisted firmly in his robes, causing a smile to spread across his face. "I'm here..." He said softly, stroking her hair, whispering softly against her ear. "I've got you..."

A tiny smile turned up her lips and she nuzzled deeper into his chest, wrapping her arms around his waist.

Miroku sighed, watching as she settled into sleep again and sighed softly. He knew he should sleep, should rest and regain his strength, but it was difficult, knowing that this might be the last time he would get to be with this woman. He closed his eyes slowly burying his face into her hair, deeply breathing the scent of sweat on her skin. I love you...He thought, not noticing as he slowly drifted to sleep.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Inuyasha sat awake in the room where his mate and the other mortals were sleeping. Ayame was curled up beside the fire, but he could tell she wasn't sleeping. Sesshoumaru was sitting at the doorway, looking out at the full moon, not even pretending to sleep. The hanyou was sitting by Kagome's head, stroking her hair, soothing her gently in her sleep. He understood her desire and reasons for everyone to relax, so they'd be rejuvenated when they finally reached Naraku's hold, where ever a rat like him was hiding this time.

He scratched behind one of his ears, thinking back over the several weeks. It had been such a short time since he had asked her to be his mate, essentially triggering all the subsequent events in either time. From Kouga's betrayal, to Hojo's idiocy, all of it led back to that fateful night when he decided to chase Kagome, rather than Kikyou. And looking back, even knowing that someone might die, that one of their friends might die, he still wouldn't change anything, because these few short weeks of happiness was all he'd had in his life.

From the day Kagome had first taken that tumble down the well, he'd been accepted by one person, he'd had that one constant. Even in spite of all their arguments about her returning home, about Kikyou, about anything, she had remained by his side. She'd been his best friend from day one and never asked for anything else. Even when she had fallen in love with him and he was still torn between her and Kikyou, when he'd pledged himself to Kikyou, when he'd pushed her away, she still came back to him, asked if it was okay for her to stay at his side.

In the early months of his coming of age, when he didn't fully understand what his body was telling him, he'd woken from a wet dream about the girl and been horrified that he'd 'betrayed' Kikyou in such a way, and spent the rest of the day as far away from Kagome as possible, and yet his eyes were still continually drawn to her, to her body, his mind pulling up whatever his most recent memory of her naked body was.

When Myoga came by and explained his coming of age, he'd been horrified, as all his bodies cues and the strange emptiness he felt whenever she was gone suddenly made perfect sense. His 'inner demon' had chosen Kagome as his mate without a doubt. He grinned a bit, remembering when she'd gone into heat less than a week later and he'd taken to sleeping in the highest branch he could, just so he was able to see her, yet was as far from her as possible. More than one night he found himself down at her side, deeply inhaling her scent and nosing at her hair, never doing more, for fear he would wake the miko.

Quietly, he leaned down and lightly licked his mate's temple, remembering when he first realized when he loved her. It was after they mated and she was curled up beside him, basking in the afterglow, gently caressing his face and gazing at him with an unguarded expression of love and trust, and his heart had stilled when she whispered a gentle 'thank you' to him, kissing his face gently at the corner of his lips.

She had mated with him, knowing that he might not love her, she'd given herself to him because she loved him and she knew that he did deeply care for her, and appreciated her devotion to him, she did it because he asked her, and he knew she would do anything to make him happy.

He knew she fully never expected him to say the words, and it didn't upset her, although he could tell that she was a bit disappointed. He had tried to show her how much he did love her, but he knew there was always that little doubt in her mind, doubt that was caused by his words to Kikyou years ago, when he had promised the undead miko that he would protect her, and that her life was his, just as his was hers.

He had married her in her own way, trying to show her how much he cared, bought her a beautiful ring that suited them both so perfectly, yet still the doubt still lingered in her mind and he could feel it every time she told him she loved him, every time she kissed him, and every time they made love. He knew it hurt her to think that they had simply mated because of biological and emotional reasons, but he wanted to tell her in the right way. He couldn't simply spout it out during a fight, and always their afterglow seemed interrupted by life.

He knew he was being unrealistic. After all, she would wind up finding out in a way he hadn't planned, in a way he never wanted her to.

He sighed softly, lifting his eyes to the doorway, seeing the light glow of the sun peeking at the edge of the horizon. He could feel the charge in the air and closed his eyes, centering himself.

It would be today.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome had noticed the agitation among the demons from the time she'd woke, and it had grown worse as the day progressed. It was similar to Inuyasha's actions prior to a fight, and she knew him well enough to know something was going to happen. They'd left the hotel reasonably early, and only briefly stopped for lunch. She could tell how tense her precious hanyou was, she could feel it every time she tried to calm him through their mark.

He didn't ask her to stop, because that gentle contact was the only thing keeping him from going a million different ways all at once. The charge had grown in the air, and he could almost smell the blood that would be shed today. There was a definite tang in the air, a feeling that caused his inner demon to grow more restless than his coming of age. His mate was the only thing keeping him from stupidly running headlong into the encroaching danger as he used to do before he knew the comfort of her touch.

Ayame was even more agitated, she was jumpy and on edge, mostly because the person they were going to confront was her potential mate, a man that she loved with all her heart. Her tense body jumped at every sound, and Inuyasha seriously considered sending Kagome back to work her soothing influence on the wolf so she wouldn't flip out and harm one of their friends. She only grew worse when the other wolf's scent hit their nose.

Inuyasha gently squeezed his mate and gestured for her to go back to the girl, watching as she nodded and headed back towards Ayame, drawing her into a soothing discussion. As she did so, he moved towards Sesshoumaru, a serious expression on his face. "I just want one thing from you..." He said evenly, his face calm. "If anything happens to me, make sure they come out alive, okay?"

Sesshoumaru looked towards him and saw the serious expression on his face and nodded calmly. "Even if something 'happened' to one of them, it would not remain so for long." He promised evenly.

The hanyou saw his hand rest gently upon Tenseiga's grip and nodded seriously. "Thanks." He said, then moved ahead, lifting his eyes towards the great castle they were approaching. The wolf's scent grew stronger and Inuyasha breathed deeply, calming his surging blood by touching the hilt of his own sword. Kouga would be stronger than any time he'd fought him previous. This time, Kagome wasn't going to stop him.

Either Kouga would return to himself, or one of them would be dead.

Inuyasha felt his mate return to his side as they reached the high wall surrounding the castle. He glanced towards her and saw a calm look on her face. The jewel was still shining from that inner glow. He quickly reached for her hand, using her steady presence to calm himself, hearing their friends and family approaching from behind. He glanced back and saw anticipation on Ayame's face. "Kouga's on the other side of this wall." He said softly. "There's no doubt he's caught our scent by now. Beyond him is Naraku. If anyone is having second thoughts...they need to leave now." He said calmly.

Miroku rested his hand on the hanyou's shoulder. "Inuyasha, we intend to see this through together, the way it started. Sure, we've grown in number, and strength, but the fact remains..." He glanced towards the others. "We're all your friends. We all care for you in our own way. We aren't going to let you walk into this without being willing to face hell ourselves."

He'd expected an answer like that. With a slight nod, he raised his hand and pushed open the tall, heavy door. As it opened, he met Kouga's eyes and saw the confidence in the demon's eyes. He could practically feel the power radiating off of him. He felt Kagome's hand tighten around his as she saw him as well.

"He's got one in his head, one in his chest, one in both arms and two in each leg." She warned gently, lifting her gaze to him. "All of them have been corrupted by Naraku's evil." She saw his determined nod and knew she couldn't convince him to let Sesshoumaru handle it. He would think she didn't think him strong enough to handle him. Her lower lip trembled and she lifted a hand to his face, turning him so she could look him in the eyes. "Be careful, anata..." She whispered, pushing onto her tip toes and kissing the corner of his lips gently.

Kouga snarled loudly in displeasure. "Get out of the way, bitch!" He snarled. "It's time that dog turd and I finish this...once and for all..." He had seen their little scene in the hotel garden the night before and it had infuriated him. Naraku had made sure he had seen it.

The girl looked at him, wearing an expression he hadn't expected. Anger, sure. It's what she had every time Inuyasha called her a bitch. Yet her expression was one of silent sadness.

Inuyasha gently pushed her behind him. "Stay back, Kagome." He said softly, then lifted his eyes towards Kouga in time to feel a powerful fist to slam into the side of his head, sending him flying. He winced, blinking his eyes hard, and trying to regain his equilibrium.

Kouga smirked, then let out a loud laugh, watching the hanyou shake his head harshly, and darted towards him again, reveling in his new strength. He was fast, he was faster than the hanyou, stronger than him, better than him! When the stinking dog was dead, he'd mark Kagome and make her his mate! That would serve the bitch right! With a devilish grin, he spun around, bringing his foot towards the hanyou's temple.

This time, he didn't connect.

Inuyasha had regained his balance in time to stop the foot headed to place a killing blow at his temple. He held the ankle tightly, looking directly into Kouga's eyes and he gave the demon a gravely serious look. "You don't care who you hurt, as long as you get who you want..." He said seriously. "Ayame was right, you're really just a spoiled brat..."

Kouga snarled, slashing at the hanyou with a free hand, clawing the flesh on the arm holding his leg roughly, ripping off several layers of flesh. He spun around the rest of the way and smirked, licking his hand. "How am I different from you...?"

The hanyou smirked a bit. "You're not. But there is some people I would never hurt..." He said, darting forwards, wearing a broad, confident smirk. "My mate...my friends..." He said, grunting as Kouga easily blocked his attack. Six more shards definitely made a difference. "You would have raped her so she wouldn't have the option of being your mate!"

The wolf snarled, slashing at him furious. "I told you she was my woman! You had no right to even ask her! I staked my claim long before you!"

"How the hell would you know!" Inuyasha hissed, catching the demon's hands, his eyes turning slightly red. "I laid claim before Kikyou ever returned!" He had tried to kiss her, had asked her to put his head in her lap. Had told her her scent was nice. He had protected her with his very life, with his father's fang. He'd loved her from the start!

Kouga laughed, spinning around and slammed his fist into the slightly distracted hanyou's chest, sending him flying back across the ground towards Kagome. "She always thought you hated her, you damn idiot! You were constantly chasing after that undead bitch! Why do you think she never told me to go away! She was keeping me open as an option!"

Inuyasha glared at the demon. He wiped the blood from his lip and felt gentle hands trying to help him stand up. He saw his mates blue eyes and tried to smile for her. "Kagome, go back over to Ayame." He said evenly. "Don't worry. I'll be okay."

She nodded slowly, and backed away from him, her eyes never leaving his. "I love you." She said gently, softly, the words only meant for his sensitive ears. She had never been more scared for him in her life. It was like Kouga had gone insane. She was scared that he would die and leave her alone. She didn't want to be alone. She didn't want to be without him, ever.

He gave her a warm smile that she knew was just for her and then straightened, looking at Kouga, who was hesitating, having heard the girl's words as well. "You're right, Kouga. She was keeping you as an option. I didn't know what she was going to say when I asked her. She left me hanging for two weeks. She was scared to death about agreeing to something like that. She didn't know how I felt for her. She didn't know that I did see her as more than a jewel shard. But I gave her the choice to say no, and you weren't willing to take that risk."

Kouga snarled, moving quickly towards him, jumping and aiming a kick directly at the hanyou's chest. BASTARD! How would you know! "Kagome probably only picked you because she thought you were he only option!" He yelled, his eyes narrow. The blue orbs, however, shot wide when the hanyou caught his ankle, spinning him hard into the wall. His vision went white when he hit, and slid to the ground.

"You're willing to kill me, kill HER, just so she wont be with me!" Inuyasha snarled.

Kouga planted his feet against the wall and pushed off against it so hard, the wall cracked from the force, and he flew faster than a half-demon's eyes could track, sending him into the ground with such force that blood exploded from the hanyou's mouth as he landed.

Kagome screamed, running towards him, ignoring the concerned cries from her friends. All she could see was her mate laying on the ground, blood, precious life blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth. Tears filled her eyes and she threw herself on top of him, protecting him with her body, crying out to him desperately.

The scene made Kouga sick. Her crying for someone who had treated her like dirt for the better part of three years. Her crying for someone who never even told her he loved her, inspite of her repeated confessions. His vision went red and tunneled on the grieving young girl. With a violent snarl, he darted forward, claws raised to permanently silence the bitch.

He never saw someone jump between him and his target.

His claws went through a soft stomach and a pained cry filled the air as blood sprayed around his clawed hand. Slowly, the red cleared from his vision and he realized that his arm was not sliced through his target.

No, this wasn't Kagome he had impaled on his sharp claws.

This was someone who had been his only childhood friend, someone he promised he would always protect, that he promised he would marry one day. Tear-filled green eyes met his wide blue pair and he felt his breath sob out of him as he quickly pulled his arm back, letting Ayame fall to the ground as he collapsed to his knees before her, horrified.

Ayame, who had laughed with him, who had treated him like anyone else, who loved him, who wanted to be his mate.

He'd hurt her.

"Ayame..." He whispered, a sob catching in his throat. "No..."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, looking away from the sight.

Miroku sheltered Sango from the sight.

Kagome turned and stared in horror, Inuyasha wearing a furious expression on his face.

Kouga gently caught the girl as she slumped to the ground, cradling her against his chest, his eyes filled with confusion. "Ayame, why! Why did you protect them! Why did you let me..."

She lifted her hand to his face, fingers trembling. "Don't...hurt...them..." She whispered, blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth. "They...love each...other..." She smiled. "She loves...him like I...love you..." She shook her head. "You...love her...can't let you...do something...you'd hate yourself for..."

"Ayame..." He whispered, his eyes widening.

She smiled up at him, lifting herself a bit, pressing her lips lightly against his. "Love...you...Kouga..." She whispered, her eyes drifting closed slowly as she died in the arms of the man she loved. Really, she couldn't think of a place she'd rather die.

Inuyasha sat, looking uncertainly at the wolf demon who was clinging to the girl in his arms, his face hidden from view. He gently pushed Kagome behind his body, preparing to use his own body to do as Ayame had done previously. What happened was not what he was expecting.

The demon reached up on his forehead and pulled the shikon shard out, tossing it to the ground. He followed up with the one in his chest, the ones in his arms, and all four from his legs. Never once did he look up. "Take them." He said softly. "Naraku lies within."

The hanyou looked towards his mate, nodding, sensing the change in the demon. The wolf hadn't put the girl down yet, instead he was holding her like a life line, clinging to her, as though she might disappear from his grasp. He watched the demon closely while Kagome retrieved the shards.

Kouga didn't budge, his eyes lowered, looking at the face of the girl he'd realized too late that he cared for. Gently he brushed her hair from her face, whispering gently to her how sorry he was, how stupid he was. Tears ran down his face, hidden only by his hair. Why her? Why someone who was dear to him? Why not one of the stupid hanyou's friends?

The answer was clear. Ayame knew that she was the only one who could stop him, stop his rampage for blood. He felt a gentle hand on his should and barely twitched, smelling it was Kagome. He closed his eyes, looking away in shame.

What a fool he'd been.

He'd wanted Kagome because she was someone else's. She was 'off limits'. So he ignored his feelings and went for someone who was powerful, who was human. Who was different.

Suddenly, two arms embraced him and he froze from shock. He looked and saw Kagome was giving him a comforting embrace, her expression sad. He felt guilt over whelm him and he looked towards Inuyasha, who was standing there, looking on, no jealousy in his expression, his face calm, slightly sad as well. He glanced towards the others, seeing Sesshoumaru looking at him with an expression that told him that the great demon thought him a fool. Hell, he was. Miroku was gently holding Sango as she cried into his chest.

And he suddenly felt even more stupid, even smaller. He was worse than a bitch that kills it's own pups. He'd killed a woman who loved him deeply. Deeper than he'd ever been loved by anything, and he'd killed her. Without a word, he accepted the girl's platonic comfort and buried his face into Ayame's shoulder.

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_AN: OMG! AYAME! Yeah, I know, please don't kill me. In the immortal words of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, "Don't Panic". I'm going to be taking a month long break from this, and I'll start working on the next chapter either at the end of this month or the beginning of next. It'll be posted sometime between the 1st and the 15th of July, I hope. Oh, and to everyone who posted recently and said something like "Hurry up and finish this fic", you should probably leave a review. I'm quite dissatisfied with the number of reviews I've gotten. Remember, you're all what give me my inspiration. Hell, I don't even mind a few death threats. I'm going to have to up the rating of this story, already, because as was pointed out, it really is a minimum of rated R. Who cares that the average teen has probably said all the words listed, and probably done what Inuyasha and Kagome are doing... . ; Gotta adhere to the machine, ya know, or I'll get booted. Love peace doughnuts and (Upon request) coffee, DemonSaya_


	9. Chapter 9Finale

_AN: This is the final installment of Coming of Age. There will not be anything after this chapter. Once it's done, it's done, no saying 'so, when's the next chapter', or anything like that, because I will just kindly point you to the author's note and the little word beside the number 9. It's been fun, but it's really time to wrap up this fic for good. I will post the finale at the end of this chapter, just to give it a proper ending, but once you all see the word Owari, it's over, that's the end. No more, except perhaps future revision in another five years. 3 Love ya'll, and thanks for the patience._

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_Coming of Age_

By: Demonsaya

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**9 (Finale)**

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It was a shame. A shame that Kouga was still so weak, even with six perfectly corrupted shards he was unable to take down a hanyou and his mate. That the death of one insignificant little girl would cause him to snap out of his anger driven trance.

Now they had eight shards. True, he had far more shards, still, but there was a strange glow coming from the shard around the girl's neck, and if that shard touched the jewel, he would be done for. Although that brought about part two of his plan. After all, what kind of evil bastard would he be if he didn't have a follow up should part A hit the fan.

He turned, looking at his captive, who looked more weak and emaciated since the last time she was seen, having given the remains of the shared soul back to the person it belonged to in this life time. The undead priestess stared up at him with a calm expression, unperturbed by her position. Her face was almost serene, as though she knew what was coming and was already accepting of her fate.

"How does it feel to be abandoned for your living copy?" He sneered at her, expecting at least a glare from the woman.

She lowered her eyes, pondering the question. "I was angry at first, and then I was sad. But the fact remains that Inuyasha has fallen out of love with me and in love with her. Nothing I can do can change that." She raised her eyes and looked at him calmly. "Even if I could, I think I wouldn't anymore."

This was not the reaction he was hoping for. He was hoping to infuriate the woman, but it appeared she'd gone through all the stages of grief already and had accepted the fact that the hanyou loved another. Naraku scoffed, looking towards the door, sensing them on the other side.

She looked towards him and her lips turned up into a small smile. "I do believe...that you are jealous of Inuyasha. That you have always been jealous of him. People trust him so easily, and love him so completely. You will never have that. You will die alone."

He turned towards her again and sneered. "You think I care about having someone to love me? I will own the world with the shikon no tama, I will be all powerful, and you weak mortals will bend to the will of a god." He laughed softly, capturing her face and turning her towards him. "And then I will take whoever I wish as mine. No mark of mating would be able to stop me."

Kikyou chuckled darkly. "You may take, but you can never have what is most important. Hearts must be won, Naraku, and your evil, sinister ways will only earn you hatred, even if your lust is satiated, you will find the object of your desire with a knife either in her belly or in your back."

He snarled his displeasure with her and snaked a hand behind her head, fisting in her hair and jerking her head back, looking down into her defiant gray eyes. This woman who he'd wanted since he'd seen her, this woman who angered him, who caused lust to swell in him, this woman who always had and probably always would defy him. "Do you think you know so well what will happen in the future, my dear?" He hissed against her skin, bringing his face a fraction of an inch away from hers.

She kept that dark smirk on her lips. "I know that Inuyasha and Kagome are going to destroy you." She whispered.

He smiled darkly as well, and drug her forward, pressing a hard kiss against her mouth. He didn't mind that she tasted of death. Then again, had he had the time, he would probably have pressed her cold body against that wall and screwed what little life remained in her out of her. He pulled back, licking his lips, enjoying the disgust on her face. "Don't hold your breath, dear Kikyou. You might suffocate waiting for the cavalry."

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They observed a long moment of silence for the girl before Inuyasha looked towards Sesshoumaru, a serious expression on his face. The demon didn't speak but he wore a calm, if disgusted expression, and so Inuyasha grinned, as though reading his thoughts. He looked towards his mate, where she was comforting the wolf, who clung to the body of the girl he'd killed and cleared his throat.

Both slowly raised their heads, Kagome, quickly, Kouga more slowly, almost reluctantly. The hanyou could see why. There were tears staining his face. Inuyasha looked at them seriously and he watched Kagome straighten and return to his side without his prompting. Kouga still remained sitting on the floor, cradling the body against his chest. Inuyasha walked towards him and dropped to one knee, looking at the wolf demon seriously, his expression grave.

"I killed her..." He whispered, his voice broken slightly.

Inuyasha nodded, resting a clawed hand on his shoulder. "You did, but you were corrupted by Naraku. Everything comes back to Naraku." He said evenly. "If you want to avenge her, rather than sitting here and crying like a baby, go punish the bastard who caused you to go so blind to everything around you that you killed a friend."

Kouga stared at him in confusion. "I have to watch over her..." He whispered. "I can't just leave her like this..." Why was Inuyasha being kind to him? When had the hanyou matured to the point that he was willing to let their petty rivalry go and fight together to destroy the common enemy? The answer was so obvious it almost made him laugh. Mating had calmed the hanyou. It had calmed his agitated spirit, it had given his chaotic life an obvious direction.

The hanyou stood, looking towards his brother. "She was pack. She is pack." He said calmly. "So he's pack too."

Sesshoumaru nodded in what almost looked like approval.

Kagome gave the hanyou a winning smile and walked to his side. "Sesshoumaru-sama, would you look after Ayame?" She asked softly. The great demon nodded and she looked towards Kouga once again. "Kouga, this is your fight too." She said evenly. "Like Inuyasha said, you're pack, you're still a part of this family. Naraku misled you. He used you. Because of him, someone who loved you very much, who wanted nothing more than the old you back is dead. You have an obligation to yourself to see Naraku punished."

Kouga looked from the dog boy to the human girl who stood before him and they were joined by the rest of the rag tag pack as they called them. A great demon, a demon hunter, a lecherous priest, a human girl from another world, an outcast hanyou. All of which were offering him a place to fight beside them in the name of defeating the common enemy, the one who had caused everything leading up to this point. Slowly, he released Ayame's body, letting it sink to the ground. He gently crossed her arms over her chest and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss to her forehead. Then, he rose to his feet, looking at them wearing a calm expression. "Let's go kick that miserable bastard's ass." He said, giving them a grin.

Inuyasha grinned in return. "That's the spirit." He gave Sesshoumaru a glance and nodded in his direction, guiding his mate towards the large door that stood between them and their next fight. He heard the other's following, with Sesshoumaru as the sole exception. From him he heard the sound of steel against wood and grinned broader. Loyal pack members deserved rewarded.

Kagome glanced behind them towards where Sesshoumaru stood over the girl and her jaw gaped slightly, seeing Tenseiga in the great demon's hand. The demon looked towards her and nodded his acknowledgment, and then he waited. Kagome looked up at her mate and he nodded at her, as if understanding her unspoken question. Her heart melted and she smiled for him. "You're a good man, Inuyasha."

He gave her a gentle squeeze and rested his palm against the worn wood of the door. Slowly, he pushed the door inward, allowing it to open easily. His eyes swept around the room and he wasn't entirely surprised to see Naraku standing there with his back to them. What did surprise him, however, was seeing his old love tied up against the wall, wearing a disgusted expression. He ground his teeth together and took a steadying breath. The hanyou felt his mate's hand come in gentle contact with the mark on his shoulder and it caused a calming breath of life through him. It was as if she healed every injury from the fight with Kouga just with her touch.

"I'm disappointed in you, Kouga. You could have been very powerful." The demon turned, smirking at them, holding the large chunk of the jewel in his hand. "Ah, the hanyou and his bitch, come to try to destroy me?"

Kagome didn't even flinch. "We don't intend to try." She said coldly. This demon had caused so many people so much pain. He had tricked Inuyasha and Kikyou into betraying each other, he had caused the air void in Miroku's hand, he had robbed Sango of her family, caused the destruction of Kouga's pack, had used Sango's brother to manipulate her, had used Kikyou to come between herself and the man she loved. And the most recent insult, had manipulated Kouga into harming those he had once viewed as friends, had pumped him up with Shikon shards and corrupted him, blinding him so badly that he killed a dear friend.

Inuyasha drew his sword and aimed it at the demon, glancing towards Kagome. "Use your arrows and stay at a distance. I don't want you put at risk." He said in a quiet tone, then looked towards the other melee fighters. "Sango, you cover Kagome. The rest of you are with me." He gave his mate's hand a squeeze. "Back-up should arrive shortly, but I can't fight well when you or someone else are in danger. Go get her untied and have her look after Ayame as she recovers." He said softly.

She nodded, and caught Sango's eye. "Come on." She said, sliding around the wall. She watched as her mate and their companions darted towards the demon, unaided by the shards that she had in her possession. Naraku wasn't intimidated by them. In fact, he knocked them back one at a time, and Kagome realized something. Naraku was over confident. He'd never seen what these men could do when someone they loved was in danger.

He hadn't seen Inuyasha take a poison claw through his belly, just so she wouldn't be hurt.

Had never seen Miroku run headlong into danger, Kazanaa blazing, no matter that he was shortening his life span.

Had never seen Kouga protect his pack as fiercely as he could with his own life.

He had witnessed the events, but he hadn't seen beyond the brazen stupidity of the attacks. He hadn't realized that these actions were their strengths. The way they saw life, what was important to them, that was what made them strong. Their desire to protect those they loved their friends, their companion, their patchwork family caused their inner strength. She felt her heart swell as Inuyasha was knocked violently back into the wall and he pushed himself back up, meeting her gaze, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth and running back towards the demon.

She reached her destination and Sango used her sword to cut through the ropes binding the miko who bore her own face. Kikyou stood and looked at her, a calm expression on her face. "You've went down in number." She said evenly.

Kagome nodded. "That's being taken care of. We need a favor..."

Inuyasha saw that his old love was released and moved himself so that Naraku wouldn't notice as Kagome got the other woman out of the room. The demon was still standing in the same space and not as much damage as Inuyasha would have liked had been dealt on the bastard. There had to be a weakness somewhere. Miroku couldn't open Kazanaa because there were probably some of those damn bees waiting for him, and he was still slightly wounded from his battle with Kouga. Kouga was being more careless than he himself was being, probably because he didn't think he had anyone to protect.

"You are a fool to think you're strong enough to defeat me, hanyou...I've eaten greater demons than you for lunch..." Naraku sneered at him, but his smirk was gone when he noticed the girl who was once his captive was being escorted out of the room. The demon hunter and the girl with Kikyou's face kept their eyes and weapons trained on him.

"We shall return when the girl has fully recovered." Kikyou said evenly.

Kagome nodded, not looking towards her. After all, Naraku had spotted them. "Okay." She said, breathing steadily, never mind the murderous look on the demon's face. She couldn't let her fear get the better of her. She had a mission to finish. She had shattered the jewel, and by god, she'd be the one to reassemble the damn thing.

"Witch..." Naraku seethed.

Inuyasha snorted, looking at the demon, wearing a haughty expression despite the pain he was in. "What's wrong, your all-seeing-eye not catch our plan? We didn't know Kikyou would be here, thanks for helping us out there..."

As he finished speaking, Sesshoumaru, the sole uninjured demon in the area, walked into the room, still in the process of sheathing Tenseiga. "The girl is recovering." He said evenly. He gave Kouga a flat look. "And if you don't want a very irritated wolf-girl on your hands, this Sesshoumaru would recommend you cover your ass better."

Kouga's eyes widened and he felt a new determination growing in him. He had to protect Ayame, she had protected him. She had protected him from himself, she had saved him when he needed her to the most, at the cost of her own life. Now, it was his turn to protect her. And when it was over...

Kouga glanced towards the great demon. He wouldn't thank the cold bastard, but the demon had a point. "Right...gotcha..." He turned his attention back towards Naraku as Miroku moved towards Kagome and Sango to guard them. He closed his eyes and felt energy crackle around his hand, bringing his Goraishi to power, feeling the claws extending from his hand. "Tough break, Naraku-teme..." He said, straightening his back and grinning. "You've tasted this before, right? If not, should I introduce the two of you? This is Goraishi, a good friend of mine, but I'm afraid it doesn't like you much." He snarled the last part and lunged for the demon who was watching him with a callous expression.

Inuyasha watched as he did that and grinned. "Well, damn, if it's like that, let's do it." He allowed Tetsusaiga to transform into the dragon scaled version and smirked in a cocky manner, preparing to rip the demon bastard to shreds as well. Sure, he knew that it wouldn't kill him. It would just hurt him for awhile. But he had to rely on Kagome's theory. They had to exude enough positive energy to get all the shards to resonate like the one that was closest to the center of Midoriko's heart, the one that held the majority of her intentions.

Sesshoumaru drew Toukijin and with an emotionless expression, joined into the fray.

Kagome closed her eyes, cupping the shards between her hands. Quitely, she began whispering the words that for some reason she knew instinctively. She felt the shard go brighter and it began to emit a warm sensation. The other shards were resonating as well, but they weren't in synchronization with the primary one.

Something was inhibiting their absorption of the positive energy.

She began to discreetly look around, finding that with the exception of the melee fighters, Sango and Miroku were both wearing tense expressions. She touched them both on the shoulders gently and they looked towards her. "You need to have faith right now." She said calmly. "Inuyasha and the other's will not fail. They are doing what is needed to be done, but I can't do what I need to do unless you two have positive thoughts." She said softly.

Sango looked towards her, wearing a guilty expression. "I'm sorry, I just hate sitting idle..." She said softly.

Kagome closed her eyes and felt a twinge of pain in her abdominal region. If Sango participated, something bad would happen to her, and she knew it. Yet, she opened her eyes and nodded. "Sango, if it's what you feel you need to do, I can't stop you. Naraku has done something horrible to both of you. Go do what you feel you must. I will be safe where I am."

They hesitated for a moment, but Kagome gave them both a gentle shove. "As long as you two sit here brooding with the pretense of watching over me, my work can't get done. Now GO."

They nodded, standing and running into the battle as well. She allowed herself to be the conduit, to absorb the positive energy they exuded. Their fight was merely a pretense. She simply had to get all the shards to resonate together. To do that, she needed her spiritual energy. Energy that grew stronger with positive emotions, like her love for Inuyasha. Yet, all she could do was sit here and watch until their positive energy fizzled out and died.

Hopefully, that wouldn't mean that any of them fizzled out and died along with it.

Inuyasha glanced towards Kagome and saw her praying to the jewel, all the shards were glowing, but he knew that she knew what she was doing. She had to wait as long as possible, for Naraku to be worn down by their physical advances to attack him spiritually. The moment's distraction, however, was all the opening Naraku needed, and he snaked an appendage around his neck, cutting off his windpipe. Futilely, he clawed at the appendage that just seemed to heal itself no matter how many deep gouges he dug into it.

Sango ran forward, swinging her boomerang, throwing it towards the limb, hoping to sever it and effectively free the hanyou, but another appendage knocked the boomerang back at her, and it hit her severely in the stomach, sending her flying back against the wall. Her vision spun and her first fear was towards the unborn infant in her belly. She could hear Miroku call out to her, and he moved hurriedly towards her. She felt like her entire body was exploding in pain.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut. The positive energies were faltering. It still wasn't enough. She needed more, or it wouldn't work. "Don't loose hope..." She whispered. "Don't loose hope yet..."

Inuyasha needed air. He needed to breath. He could see Kagome was faltering and knew she was running out of her own power. The jewels were glowing brightly. Wasn't that enough, yet? He wondered. What was wrong with the plan? Was it failing?

A sword ripped through the appendage holding him above the ground and he fell to the ground, looking up to see his brother standing there, his face furious. "I know you're worried about your mate, but if you don't start covering your ass, I'll kick it myself." He snarled back at the hanyou, who pulled what remained of the arm from around his neck, sucking in deep breaths.

The fight wasn't over yet. Inuyasha glanced towards Sango, who was laying back against the wall, shaking and crying, and instinctively, he sniffed the air. Fury grasped him and he felt his claws bite into the palm of his hand. "She lost the pup." He whispered, feeling his demon blood threatening to take him over once again. He took a steadying breath, lightly touching Tetsusaiga's hilt. It didn't completely calm him, but he could feel some of the rage subside. It was like in the cave when Kagome's touch had purified the jewel that was tainted through him. He lifted his furious golden gaze towards Naraku, who was looking at the demon brother's with a dispassionate expression.

Naraku frowned slightly. He would have to deal with the older demon first, apparently. He wasn't sure why, but the girl was sitting off to the side, with the jewel shards cupped in her palms, where he couldn't see. Her eyes were tightly closed, and her lips were moving rapidly. He sensed one of the three demons lunging towards him and he waved a hand, causing shouki to blast him fully in the face. He turned, seeing the demon that had attacked him while the majority of his attention was on the human girl had been Kouga. "No honor among traitors..." He said in amusement as Kouga stumbled backwards, blinded by the poison.

Kouga blinked his eyes rapidly, cursing faintly. He had to keep fighting, but how would he manage that when every time he got close enough to strike, the damn bastard struck first? How was he supposed to get rid of the bastard who'd caused him to hurt Ayame if he couldn't see? He felt a clawed hand on his shoulder and gasped startled as he was shoved back, and winced as he hit the wall a bit.

"Just stay back until your vision clears, Kouga."

Inuyasha's voice.

Inuyasha glared at the demon, and raised his sword, darting forward, gesturing for his brother to cover him. Unfortunately, Naraku saw through the plan of attack yet again. Inuyasha felt the regrown arm that held him last time pin him against the wall and there was a grunt that sounded suspiciously like pain from Sesshoumaru.

Naraku sneered, looking at the two brothers he'd pinned to the wall. One hand was wrapped tightly around the hanyou's neck, his other had formed into a sharp point, penetrating through the chest of the great demon, who merely looked down at it as though it were nothing more than an annoyance.

"KAGOME!" Inuyasha cried. "NOW!"

There was a familiar creak behind the demon and he turned his head, not releasing either demon. The girl held the arrow to the bowstring, her face calm, almost serene. Around her neck, glowing bright, were all nine shikon shards she'd been purifying. "Did you really think...that we came all this way without a surefire way to destroy you?" She asked in an even tone, as though unperturbed that her mate and husband was dangling some ten feet above the ground.

Naraku sneered, looking towards her. "You know, little girl, I think your loyalties are misplaced..." He said evenly. "Here you are, mated to someone who doesn't even tell you he loves you. To someone who for three years loved your previous incarnation." He laughed in his evil way. "Yet you vehemently defend his worthless hide."

"I love him." Kagome said bluntly, but hearing her worst enemy state all her fears aloud caused her to get tense with worry. It would be hard to keep the shards in their resonating state if she wasn't thinking positive. Was it possible the demon knew the plan now? Could he possibly know what she intended to do?

"Ah yes, you LOVE him, and you TRUST him. But does he trust you? From what I understand, he sent you to your time just so you wouldn't accept Kouga's offer."

"He sent me home to protect me!" She objected, but her concentration was broken.

The demon smirked, noting the way the glow had clouded slightly. "This demon that you loved only chose you because you're alive, and Kikyou's dead. He never really wanted you...he just wanted your power. He wanted your abilities. He doesn't actually care what happens to you, or he would have been over there defending you with his life, rather than leaving you by yourself."

"NO!" Kagome shook her head, tears in her eyes. "Even if he doesn't love me, Inuyasha cares for me! And I'm okay with that! I stayed by his side despite that!"

"He doesn't love you, why devote your life when you could do so much better...?"

Her eyes went to Inuyasha and she saw the aching expression on his face. "Because I love him." She whispered, drawing the arrow, preparing to fire once again, her expression calm once again, despite the tears on her cheeks. "I love him and he picked me, even if he loves Kikyou, he's mine now."

"A foolish decision." The demon moved to attack her, but the sound of another arrival caused him to pause, looking towards the door. A wolf girl with red hair and green eyes stared at the scene with a calm expression. Behind her was an undead miko, her expression serene. Kikyou moved towards Kagome and Ayame stepped forward, towards Naraku.

"It's all your fault." Ayame said evenly. "From the start. You're the one who attacked the tribes of wolf demons...who killed Kouga's pack and the demons to the east. You're the reason Kouga didn't come to me after Kagome's rejection, the reason he killed me." She shifted her gaze towards Kouga, who's face was turned towards her, but his eyes were unfocused. He couldn't see her. "I am your opponent now." She said evenly.

Kagome glanced towards the girl and nodded, lowering her bow as Sesshoumaru was sent sliding to the floor as the demon withdrew the arm that had punctured through him. Kagome moved around the room, taking Kikyou with her. She and the woman discussed a quick plan b and both nodded. They still needed to improve the purity of the shards. Kagome knelt besides Sango, who was still crying and rested a hand lightly on her abdomen. "Sango, I know this is difficult, and very painful..." She looked towards Miroku, who was holding her, his eyes frightened. "Miroku, I know you're worried for her. I need you to help me, though. I need you two to think about life AFTER this, I need you to imagine the two of you together, married, having other children."

They looked at her and nodded, and Miroku rested his head against Sango's, closing his eyes, trying to tune out the sounds of Ayame circling Naraku, of Sango's heart wrenching crying. Sango lifted her face and took steadying breaths, watching as Kagome moved towards the next person on her mission.

She knelt beside the great demon, resting her hands on his chest, seeing his bleeding still hadn't stopped. "Sesshoumaru...I need you to think of the little girl at Kaede's...Think of Midoriko-sama, you have to get better. You're going to get better." She whispered and saw the demon's eyes were blissfully calm.

"A step ahead of you." He said evenly. "Go to the wolf, the fight will escalate soon."

Kagome nodded, she moved towards Kouga and saw his eyes were finally clearing. She knelt beside him and covered his eyes with her hand. "Kouga, it's me. I need you to have hope. Trust Ayame, she's strong."

"Naraku's stronger." He whispered, feeling his fear growing. "Three demons couldn't stop him."

She rested a finger on his lips. "You have to trust those you love. You have to trust them not to fail. I trusted all of you, is it too much to ask for you to trust her?"

He felt his eyes focus on the girl and his heart clenched painfully. Behind Kagome, circling the demon was the girl he'd killed, the girl who'd been given back to him. "I trust her." He whispered.

Kagome couldn't get all the way to Inuyasha so she closed her eyes and opened her heart as she heard Ayame lunge towards Naraku, her face a mask of rage. She didn't have any special weapons, she had only some flimsy armor, which had a hole through it, but she fought as fiercely as any of the other's had.

Naraku threw Ayame against the wall, and she flipped, planting both her feet against it, and pushed off, not holding back against this demon who had caused them all so much pain, who would still be causing them pain had she died. She wouldn't let the bastard win. She knew she was just a distraction, merely buying time for Kagome and Kikyou to spread the message to focus on the future, to have hope, to think about the one you love.

She flew at him and he reached towards her, trying to catch her throat, no doubt to pin her against the wall, as Inuyasha was. She twisted her body in mid-air, aiming herself at the other arm, her shard claws passing easily through them. She skidded to a stop not far from Kouga and rather than checking on her love, she turned and faced the demon once again. Inuyasha dropped to the floor. "Inuyasha, go to Kagome NOW!"

Kouga slowly stood, his vision having fully cleared. He rested a hand on Ayame's shoulder and stepped at her side. "Let's finish this." He said softly. He heard her soft growl of agreement and jumped forward, Ayame at his side. He grinned, drawing Naraku's attention towards himself, allowing Ayame to deal a great deal of damage when she struck.

Inuyasha pulled yet another shredded arm from around his neck and rushed to his mate's side, seeing her focusing on purifying the jewel, both Kagome and Kikyou had the shards between their hands and they were whispering softly to them, and he dropped to his knees, putting his arms around his mate. He brought his lips to her ear and tried to speak, but his throat burned from the pressure Naraku had placed on it. He forced himself to swallow a few times.

"It's not enough." Kikyou said evenly, her eyes opening a bit. "We still need more."

Kagome kept her eyes close, still whispering to the stupid shards.

Inuyasha gestured for Kikyou to move a bit and he wrapped his hands around them as well. He saw Kagome's eyes open and she was staring at him with a strange expression. One he didn't often see on her face. It was almost hopeless. He took a steadying breath and began to speak. "Kagome, I love Kikyou, part of me always will." He saw the crushed look on her face and removed one hand, cupping her face with it. "But I can never love her as much as I love you, as much as I always loved you. You're stupid, reckless, and you annoy the crap out of me, but I do love you."

Her expression changed from one of pain to one of shock, and suddenly, all the shards between their three pairs of hands began to resonate in exact sequence, almost violently, glowing from the inside. Kagome looked up at Inuyasha and felt his hand gently touch the mark on her shoulder and tears filled her eyes and that was the last thing he saw before there was a bright flash of light, which blinded everyone in the room except Kagome. Kagome stood slowly, lightly kissing Inuyasha's forehead, giving her previous incarnation a gentle embrace. She lifted the shard that for some odd reason had formed the head of an arrow. She picked it up carefully and nodded.

As the light in the room began to clear, it finished forming the arrow, and Kagome lifted her bow, fitting the arrow carefully into the notch. Everyone's vision began to clear and Naraku was looking directly at her. "As is the will of Midoriko." She said softly, and released the arrow, allowing it to fly towards the demon.

Naraku's eyes widened as the arrow flew towards him. His eyes never left the eyes of the girl who had fired the arrow at him. He felt it hit where the jewel was located in his body and there was a bright flash of light, followed by inescapable pain. He couldn't remember pain so bad in all his life, even when his mortal body had been burned horribly, or when he had merged with all those demons. This was a burning pain, as though he was being torn to pieces. He let out a long scream, throwing his head back as the light engulfed him.

At that moment, although no one else could see it, a woman stood up and walked towards Kagome, resting a hand on either of her shoulders. "You have done well." Her voice was ethereal, airy, almost. More like a memory than an actual event.

"Midoriko-sama..." She whispered, looking up at the woman who couldn't be more than a year or two older than her.

She leaned forward and kissed Kagome's forehead gently, in a sisterly manner. "Thank you. You will be rewarded..."

Kagome shook her head. "I don't want anything."

The woman smiled and shook her head. "Everyone wants something. Even me." Her eyes flickered towards the demon who rested against the wall, his eyes staring into the light. His expression was emotionless as usual. She looked back at Kagome and smiled. "Do not worry. Everyone will be happy." She promised, as the light slowly began to fade.

Within moments, the light was gone, and Kagome was standing there, her hands laced together in front of her chest, her eyes lifted towards the sky. The jewel was gone. She slowly turned towards her friends and saw that none of them had really moved from their places. She smiled, standing there, trusting that she was telling her the truth.

Inuyasha's vision cleared and he looked around immediately, finding his mate standing there looking at him, wearing one of her most beautiful smiles he'd ever seen on her. Her expression was one of peace and serenity. Slowly, he stood, moving towards the girl, who moved towards him, opening her arms, and accepting him into her embrace. He buried his nose into her hair, worriedly sniffing at her. "Kagome, are you okay?" He asked her worriedly, pulling back and looking down at her face.

She nodded, and looked towards the woman who shared her face, who was staring down at her hands in confusion. "Kikyou." She said softly, drawing her mate's attention towards the other woman.

Kikyou looked up at Kagome, her brow creased in confusion. "How am I alive?" She asked softly. "I should be..." She rested her hand against her chest and was startled to feel a steady pulse beneath her hand. She had a heartbeat. She was alive, really alive, this time. Her body was real. Her eyes widened in wonder and she looked towards Kagome, tears in her eyes. "I'm alive..."

Inuyasha's eyes widened in shock and he looked towards Kagome, who was wearing a warm smile. "Kagome, what happened?" He asked softly.

She smiled broadly up at him, then glanced towards Sesshoumaru, who was standing, rubbing his chest where the hole had been. It had sealed relatively quickly. Quicker than was normal, even for him. Her eyes glanced towards Sango, who was peacefully sleeping in Miroku's arms, all the blood from the miscarriage gone. Kouga and Ayame were checking each other over, looking for injuries.

She gave Inuyasha a warm smile and pushed herself onto her tiptoes, kissing his lips gently. He sighed softly, fisting his hands in her hair, closing his eyes and drawing her fully against him, feeling her arms wrap gently around his waist. They remained like that for a long moment, until Kagome pulled back slightly, looking up at him, her eyes happy. "Naraku's gone." She said evenly.

He nodded. "Where's the jewel?"

She closed her eyes, resting her hand over her heart. "It's in all of us." She said softly. "She rewarded us. It's over." She whispered.

He felt his breath rush out of him and he hugged the girl tighter to his chest.

Kagome closed her eyes, fisting her hands lightly in the fabric of his haori, smiling happily. Thank you, Midoriko-sama. She opened her eyes and could almost see the woman smile at her. Slowly, she pulled away from her mate and looked towards the two sleeping humans against the wall and smiled. "We should head back. I'm sure the little ones are worried about us."

He nodded, and moved towards Miroku and Sango, carefully pulling the girl onto his back. "No hurry." He said, looking around twinkling. "Things are going to be pretty boring without some asses to kick."

Kikyou walked up to Kagome's side and looked at the girl, smiling faintly. "I don't suppose there is room on this journey for one more? I should like to see my sister again."

Kagome smiled, nodding. "You're pack." She said evenly, then moved towards Inuyasha's side, seeing the surprise on both of their faces. She smiled, and moved towards the open doors where she could see the sun raising over the trees and lifted her face towards it. First day of the rest of her life. She couldn't wait. Cheerfully, she stepped out into the light, hearing her patchwork family leave the scene of their battle behind her.

Everything was going to be alright.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome yawned widely as she sat in her class, staring at the chalk board, scribbling down notes. They were covering the points that would be on the final exam rather hard and she was finding that it was boring her to tears. It wasn't like she didn't already know this stuff. The last week when she'd been in Sengoku Jidai, she had spent a good bit of her time studying, much to her mates displeasure. Of course, all of their arguments about it wound up landing them both wrapped around each other at the base of the God Tree. A light blush covered her cheeks and she smirked, chewing on her eraser.

"Miss Higurashi, is there something amusing to you!" The teacher snapped, and Kagome looked at the teacher and with held a snort.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't help but notice that your barn door is open." She said, smirking when the teacher yelped, quickly zipping his pants. That was yet another tactic that her mate had discovered and taught to her. When someone is angry with you, embarrass them and there's really nothing they can do.

The entirety of the class erupted with laughter as the teacher stood there, sputtering, and turned back to the chalk board, scribbling more notes down. She giggled, catching Ayumi's eye and chewing on her pencil eraser. The girl smirked and winked in return, giving her a thumbs up. She could see Hojo looking at her with a irritated expression and she turned her face back towards the front of the class, completely ignoring him.

It had been like this ever since she'd returned. Hojo was still irritated that Kagome had rejected him for something that he convinced himself was evil. She mostly ignored him, only speaking to when it was absolutely necessary. Eventually, she hoped he would get a clue, like Kouga did.

That thought caused a wry grin to spread across her lips. Kouga had been following Ayame around with an odd expression on his face, one she remembered seeing on Inuyasha's face a few months ago. Ayame, meanwhile, was pretending to be oblivious, although she confided to Kagome that it was really because she wanted to punish Kouga a little for his treatment of her. Kagome had grinned and given her the best advice she could think of. She'd said 'have fun'.

The teacher droned on and she turned her head, looking out the window, smiling when she saw two boys waiting down by the gate with soda cans, talking like best friends, although she could see the beginnings of a tick forming beneath her husbands eyebrow. Getting the ring engraved with a appearance seal was the best idea her mother had ever come up with. He stood down there, looking like any other human boy from her time. Well, except for the waist length silver hair and bright golden eyes.

Those eyes that she loved so much met hers and she gave him a warm smile. His lips turned up into a warm grin and he flicked the hair she'd braided for him that morning over his shoulder, his grin turning wicked, which caused a blush to quickly cover her face as she looked quickly back at her school work, trying to ignore the growing heat in her belly. Damn him for being so hot so effortlessly.

The bell rang and Ayumi came over towards her desk. She peeked out the window and waved at the pair then looked towards Kagome as the girl gathered her things. "Yuka and Eri want to drag us out for ice cream and so they could officially meet our boyfriends."

Kagome coughed politely, waving the wedding band around so her friend could see it. Both of them broke down into a fit of giggles and Kagome scooped up her bag. "Ice cream sounds good." She looked towards their slightly estranged friends and gestured for them to join them, smiling at them. "So, I hear you all wanted to make plans for tonight?"

Yuka and Eri rushed over. "Well, yeah. This is really the first official time we get to meet your boyfriends! We didn't even know Ayumi had one until you spilled. And yours is SO dreamy..."

The school girl waved her hands. "I get it, I get it. Let's get down there, before they decide to come up and find us." She turned towards Ayumi and noticed some suspicious marks carefully concealed with make up and a broad grin spread across her lips. "Boys like them, they just don't wait around, do they." She teased, giving her friend a wink.

Ayumi coughed politely and had the decency to blush. "Nope, they don't."

They walked out of the room and headed downstairs, chattering cheerfully. Kagome could sense Hojo following them and rolled her eyes slightly, glancing towards Ayumi and gesturing behind them. She glanced back and shook her head. "Maybe someday he'll grow out of it." She said, hopefully.

Kagome pushed open the door and broke away from the group, running over towards her husband and throwing her arms around his neck, pressing a firm kiss against his lips. She could feel him grinning under her kiss. She pulled back, then glanced towards Ayumi as she embraced Shippou, pulling him into a deeper, much more lingering kiss. A smirk broke across Kagome and she tugged Inuyasha's forelock to get him to lean towards her. "I think Shippou is..." She cleared her throat and gave him a meaningful look. "About where you were about six months ago." She said meaningfully.

The hanyou smirked, slapping the kitsune across the back. "Wow. I'm going to have to etch this into my memory so I can tease you about it later." He said evenly as Shippou watched Ayumi move around him with a lost puppy expression. "So, she's making you wait?" He felt Kagome lightly tap his arm and looked innocently towards her. "What?"

She fixed him with a look that clearly said 'tone down with the dominant dog crap or you might not get the iku iku later'. He pouted in response and put his arm around her shoulders, looking down at her. "Yuka and Eri are treating all of us to ice cream." She announced, hearing her friends stuttering. "That's okay right?" She looked up at her hanyou, grinning.

"Sounds great."

They spent the rest of the day teasing Shippou and Ayumi, until Ayame looked at her watch and squeaked. "CRAP! Mom's gonna have my head if I'm not home in fifteen minutes!"

Kagome gave her a sly look. "She keeping tabs on you and your boyfriend?" She teased lightly.

Ayumi blushed, seeing Inuyasha smirking at her, his arm wrapped gently around Kagome's shoulder. "My mother doesn't know Shippou as well as your mother knows Inuyasha!" She said, scrambling out of the booth. She hesitated when Shippou caught her wrist.

"I can give you a ride home." He said, giving her a wink. No one at the table missed the obvious sexual innuendo and even Inuyasha had the decency to blush. "You know, on the bike." He thumbed a motorcycle that Kagome was quite certain wasn't there when they first came into the parlor.

Yuka and Eri squealed and both boys cringed slightly.

oooooooooooooooooooooo

Kagome and Inuyasha spent the next few days in Kagome's time exclusively, although Inuyasha was sneaking away in the middle of the night and stealing through the well. Kagome didn't even notice until one night when she woke up in the middle of the night and found she was alone in her bed and the window was open.

It had hurt her, and her mind automatically wondered the worst, till she firmly shook the thought out of his head and she reminded herself that he loved her. He wouldn't be going back there to have an affair with Kikyou, who recently had been spending a great deal of time with a young man from the village who fancied her. Finally, she decided that her hanyou was probably going back to train with his brother, or just to get some fresh air for a little while.

She didn't ask him about it.

She wanted to prove to him that she trusted him.

When her final exam was finally over, which shockingly, she passed with an A, despite it being a math test. She blamed that on Inuyasha's amazing ability to grasp the subject. He had spent several days early on sitting within hearing distance of her class, learning the lessons through osmosis, and when she started having trouble, he revealed his talent. He would sit her down and show her how to work through each problem.

Not just with that class, either. Several of the classes that had been giving her trouble since her life went to Sengoku Jidai, due to her inability to take her mind off a certain dog-eared hanyou, his ability to memorize things caused him to be a very useful studying tool. He actually teased her a few times that she only loved him because he made her get good grades.

With a sigh, Kagome rolled over in her empty bed and made a firm decision to return home tomorrow, at least to find out what Inuyasha was doing at night. She smiled, thinking about her family in the other time, her other home. Things were so calm there, and even when there was the occasional demon attack, there was none of the tension present when Naraku was alive.

Sango had grown large with her pregnancy, the child she'd almost lost during the last battle now proving to put strain on the demon hunter. Often, Kagome found herself bringing back whatever the taijiya's latest craving was. Miroku was acting every bit the nervous father as her pregnancy progressed, also acting the part of doting husband quite well. Every few minutes, he would ask if she needed to rest, offer to rub her back, and would quickly stop her from lugging the weight of something. Although Kagome could tell that the attention irritated the Taijiya, she understood Miroku's mild smothering.

During that last fight, they'd come so close to losing their child, he didn't want her to put more strain on herself than necessary. And even though it irritated Sango, the girl wouldn't have it any other way. The glow on her face told Kagome that Miroku's outward affection towards the girl had warmed the girl's heart.

Sesshoumaru, Rin, and Jaken had left not long after returning, waiting only until everyone was fully healed from their battle. Midoriko's magic had sped up the process a great deal, but some of them were only human. Kagome had a distinct feeling that the demon would find himself a mate sometime in the not too distant future.

Kouga and Ayame were courting, so to speak, although to Kagome it was a lot more of Kouga groveling and Ayame lapping up the attention. Although she knew that Kouga deserved it for his treatment of the wolf-girl, she knew that you could only hold off someone with that much pride for so long before they finally gave up forever. Kouga's attention towards her no longer extended further than how one would treat a sister, and he'd begun acting in a more brotherly fashion towards Inuyasha as well, and Kagome knew that he was grateful for the dog demons' actions which revived Ayame.

Speaking of Inuyasha...

She opened her eyes and saw him perched beside her bed, his eyes resting on her face with open affection. She smiled warmly at him, lightly ruffling his hair. "Last test was yesterday." She said softly, her fingers trailing towards his ears. "I'm going to graduate." She saw the twinge of pleasure in his eyes and yelped slightly when he pounced her.

Inuyasha smiled down at her, wearing a gentle expression. "Tomorrow, we go home, then?" He asked, his hands on either side of her head. "We can get started on the pups?" He teased lightly, leaning down and nipping her nose lightly. This was where he was happiest, wherever his mate was, in her arms, watching her beautiful face.

Kagome blushed, remembering their talk months ago, the night before the final battle against Naraku. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and laced her fingers through his hair. "Hm, I'll think about it." She teased, watching him feign a wounded expression. A giggle escaped her and she nodded. "Yeah, when we go back, we can get started on making all those pups you want." She confirmed, nipping his nose lovingly.

He rested against her, burying his face against her shoulder. He slipped his arms around her, his exhaustion beginning to claim him. "So tired..." He murmured lightly against her neck, hugging her possessively closer. He paused, pulling back and rested his lips lightly against his mark on her. He sensed her uneasy feelings and frowned slightly. "Kagome, what's wrong?" He asked, opening his tired eyes and looking down at her.

She blushed, twiddling her thumbs behind his neck. "I don't sleep well when you go back at night." She admitted, letting him know that she knew about him disappearing in the middle of the night. She watched his eyes widen and his clawed hand was suddenly cupping her face gently, his eyes warm and affectionate. She blushed, glancing away. "I didn't want to ask about it because I don't want you to think I don't trust you..."

He silenced her with a soft kiss. "I'll show you where I go tomorrow."

She blinked, not expecting him to be so honest about his disappearances. Startlingly, rather than it putting her on guard like it would have before they'd mated, it calmed her frayed nerves. "Okay." She said, smiling gently and snuggling closer to her precious hanyou.

True to his word, after they stocked up on necessities, like Instant Ramen and chocolate, they went back through the well and Inuyasha led her first past Goshinboku, deeper into the woods, till they reached the edge of the trees, the edge of a clearing. He turned towards her and pushed the last trees apart, allowing her to step forward into the small, peaceful clearing.

Kagome's brain had been running through where on earth he could be taking her, and her breath caught when she stepped into the clearing. She looked around, then slowly turned, her eyes flying wide with shock. There, butted up against the small hill, stood a decent sized house, complete with shoji walls and raised floor and tile roof. She turned towards him, her eyes holding a question.

He came closer to her, his eyes uncertain. "I...I wanted a place for us to stay...to raise our children..." He blushed, lifting his eyes to hers, nervous, worried, and uncertain.

Her heart swelled in her chest and she threw her arms around him. "This is where you've been going? You've been making this! Oh, Inuyasha!" She pressed kisses all over his face. "Oh, I love you so much!" She heard his soft chuckle as his arms wrapped around her as well.

Slowly, he set her down on the ground, smiling at her warmly. "Come on, let me show you."

Kagome flashed him a bright smile and ran towards the door in front of him and his eyes trailed towards her hips, watching them sway left to right with each step and he gulped hard, feeling his blood racing. Ah, crap...

He gave his mate a rueful look and grinned, remembering her promise from the night before. It was mating season...

OWARI

oooooooooooooooooooooo

_AN: And so, they all lived happily ever after, right 3 Anyways, this is the end. No, there will be no sequel, this is the official end. So, satisfied with the ending? Unsatisfied with the ending? Tell me what you think, please! As usual, Read and Respond! I'm going on Vacation, which is why you're getting this chapter early. I'll probably read it later and decide I hate it and scrap it and totally rewrite the durn thing. Anyways, until I get bored and decide to revamp, this is yet another complete story, and right now this is the jewel of my fics. Total, it has more pages than any other fic. It's also the one on the most Alerts, as well as Favorites (Thanks to all the readers who put this story on alert and favorite), and it's my most reviewed (Mega thanks to all those who have reviewed this story). I love you all! Love, peace and Doughnuts, DemonSaya_


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